Nigella Lawson helps open specialist learning pub
The North Star in Brighton helps young people with learning disabilities and autism.
A groundbreaking pub designed to prepare young people with learning disabilities and autism for employment has opened in Brighton.
TV chef and food writer Nigella Lawson was among the crowds of people who helped open The North Star in December, as well as BAFTA-winning actress Marisa Abela.
The pub is being run by Team Domenica, which was founded in 2016 by baroness Rosa Monckton MBE after her daughter Domenica (who has Down's Syndrome) left college facing limited opportunities.
Through various hospitality projects, the charity provides innovative and tailored employment programmes to people with learning disabilities and autism.
How does The North Star fit in?
The North Star will continue to run as a pub.
However, upstairs Team Domenica has created a dedicated education, training and employment centre that will combine classroom learning, enrichment activities and hands-on hospitality experience.
When combined with The North Star's operations, this centre will work towards supporting young people with disabilities into paid employment. The charity and college already boasts an employment rate of 80% through their programmes, against a national average of less than 5% in England.
All profits generated by The North Star pub will fund Team Domenica's programmes. Candidates will begin their training at The North Star in the new year, gaining experience in food preparation, bar service and table service.
"We started Team Domenica nine years ago, with 20 young people and one small café," says Monckton. "Now we support over one hundred candidates, run three cafés, a coffee roastery and now this game-changing pub. It will become a cultural landmark in Brighton and a beacon of hope for people with learning disabilities and their families."
Image: Chenying Cannell
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