A CAFE is hoping to encourage more men to indulge their softer cake-loving side with an afternoon especially for chattering chaps.

The Man Hour is held every Wednesday at the Chatterbox Cafe in St John’s Chapel, County Durham, and is aimed at enticing men to enjoy a coffee and a catch up with their mates.

The scheme is just one of several new ideas being devised by cafe owners Cameron and Anne Marie Gordon who opened up last month.

Women are welcome as well, but Mr Gordon said the idea really is to let men know that it is perfectly acceptable for them to call in for a cuppa and cake.

He said: “People will say ‘why don’t you have a women’s hour?’ and my answer is that every hour is women’s hour.

“Women don’t need encouragement to get together for a coffee and chat with their friends, whereas I think we need to make it explicit to men that it is alright for them.

“Conversations between men in Weardale usually follow the same pattern, one will say ‘alright’, the other will reply ‘aye’, and then that’s it.

“We want to encourage men to open up a bit more to each other, and enjoy a nice slice of cake as they do so.”

The cafe sells cakes and treats made by villagers and Mr Gordon described himself as a curator of the village’s culinary delights.

Another novel scheme is their French breakfasts which are served every weekend.

Mr Gordon said he is offering a ten per cent discount per item of French clothing being worn - beret, moustache and black and white stripy shirt - off the meal up to 30 per cent.

Geoff Ballance (CORR) from York, who was visiting the cafe, said: “I think the men’s hour is a good idea, it will encourage men to get together and talk to each other.”

The cafe space is shared with Originals art shop which is also run by the couple and sells artworks produced in the North-East.

Chatterbox is open every day from 8am to 6pm, for more information call 01388-537536 or find them on Facebook.