See inside Fausto Coffee's new cafe at Sunderland's Beacon of Light - after official unveiling by Kevin Ball

The Sunderland business has teamed up with the Beacon of Light to launch Fausto Coppa within the community facility’s entrance hall.

As any visitor to Fausto Coffee in Marine Walk will know, the coffee shop has a strong cycling theme and ethos, and even the name doffs its cap to champion Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi.

In keeping with the retro Italian theme, the sister site at the Beacon is named Fausto Coppa, named after Coppa Italia, the Italian version of the FA Cup.

The new coffee shop, which sells coffee made from Ouseburn Coffee Company beans, toasties and sandwiches, as well as cakes including pink slices, has created seven new jobs and was officially opened by SAFC legend Kevin Ball.

It will be open from 10am to 8pm on week days and from 8am to 4pm on weekends.

Kevin said: “I’ve been to the Fausto in Roker and I love the concept and love the coffee. It’s got a great retro sporting theme and it’s a local company. As a city we should embrace as many local businesses as we can.

“The Beacon of Light blew me away since I first came here and I genuinely believe the facilities are the best I’ve seen. So Fausto is a great fit in here.”

Owner of Fausto, Louise Riddell, said: “We have a strong sporting theme at Fausto in Roker with our cycling and bathing clubs. We’re at capacity in Roker and we’re always looking to expand but it had to be the right fit for us and to have a community feel.

“The cafe here originally hadn’t taken off, but it fits perfectly with what we do. The food offering here is smaller than at Roker but it’s a different sort of place. It’s a coffee shop where people can come after sport, or if families want somewhere to get a coffee and sandwich on match days.”

Like the cycling jersey wall at Fausto Coffee, Fausto Coppa has a retro SAFC football scarf wall and people are open to drop them in on loan for the wall.