Swindon & Wiltshire News
A host of new shops and restaurants open in thriving Newbury
A host of new shops and restaurants have opened in thriving Newbury, as the market town bounces back from the pandemic.
Independent flower shop Floral Beauts becomes the latest retailer top open its doors on Northbrook Street, close to Newbury’s iconic Clock House.
The arrival of the florist followed three independent businesses opening in June.
Health food and supplement store Fit Cookie caters for local sports and fitness fanatics. Nearby, The Goan Caff speciality coffee shop, run by husband-and-wife duo, the Rebelos, brings drinks and snacks to shoppers on the go.
Lumber Distillers, the company behind the renowned137 Gin, has opened the town’s first gin experience bar and eatery: Eat.Drink.Distil in Parkway Shopping.
Pete Lumber leaves behind his previous venture at The Newbury pub, which has also recently re-opened under new management.
Meanwhile, new food businesses include Goat on the Roof, which occupies the bank building overlooking the canal on Bridge Street and serves ethically-focused tapas; Turkuaz, a new Turkish restaurant which has taken over the former Bella Italia, and Japanese restaurant Sushizen, which is gearing up for an August opening.
Melissa Hughes, CEO at Newbury Business Improvement District, said: “We’re delighted to see such a variety of new businesses open in Newbury this year – particularly in more recent months – and are pleased business owners recognise Newbury’s potential.
“We have been working hard alongside other town centre partners to raise Newbury’s profile as a visitor and business destination, and we hope this is just the beginning of Newbury’s growth, as the hunger to open a business in the town centre only increases!”
“Warwick Heskins, chairman of Newbury BID and owner of the Catherine Wheel and Spare Wheel, said: “It’s great to see Newbury’s offering strengthen, with these new businesses bringing something unique and different to complement the existing businesses already lining Newbury’s historic streets.
“It’s important that businesses owners – particularly those running independent venues – collaborate to create a strong community which helps to establish a sense of place for Newbury and ultimately attract new visitors.”
Andrew Marmot, centre manager at Parkway Shopping, which has added seven new names to the town this year alone, added: “We’re happy to offer new businesses the opportunity to test the waters in Newbury as a pop-up store should a vacant unit be available in Parkway.
“We strongly feel that this is important for business owners, as it helps them to understand the opportunity at hand.
“Many businesses who take a temporary lease with us end up staying with us on a longer-term contract. This demonstrates the need for pop-up opportunities and the positive state of the trading environment in Parkway Shopping and the town centre as a whole.”
And Reagan Rebelos, at The Goan Caff, said: “We’re very excited to be a part of this bustling town and look forward to welcoming more and more residents and visitors to The Goan Caff so they can see how we differ from other cafes on the high street, while experiencing exceptional service with a smile – which I know rings true for most the independent businesses in Bartholomew Street.”
