Coffee shop brews up a new identity at £42m City Hall
A new coffee shop is helping to brew up a new chapter at Sunderland’s £42million City Hall.
Brew&Bakehasopenedon thegroundflooroftheimpressivecitycentrebuilding,which houses the new headquarters forSunderlandCityCouncilas well as other office tenants, including Gentoo and DWP.
Operated by the council, it replaces The Social cafe at the Civic Centre, and has an improved offering, both aesthetically and menu-wise.
It’s already proving popular with people visiting the City Hall to register births and for weddings, as well as nearby office workers and passing cyclists.
Open to everyone, the coffee shop is set to see even more trade as more people return to offices and the £500m Riverside development blossoms around it.
Foundations are already being laid for the neighbouring Legal & General building on the old Vaux site, with work also due to begin on the new pedestrian bridge and housing development this year.
Graeme Guthrie, business developmentmanageratBrew & Bake, says it’s exciting to be a part of such a cornerstone of change in the city.
"It’s such an exciting, vibrantdevelopmentandit’sonly goingtogetbetter,”hesaid.“It’s so important to create a space people want to go to and we haveawholenewidentityhere.
“We learnt a lot of lessons at The Social and they’re lessons we’ve implemented into this cafe. We’ve improved the menu and we’re working a lot more with local suppliers and small batch producers.
"It’s proving popular with the customers who’ve used it so far. Covid has obviously cut downonpeopleusingthefacility, but it’s given us the chance to bed in. More people will be moving into the building over the coming months and we expect to be in full flow by April.”
The new cafe, which has around 90 seats, has already created new jobs, with more expected as it welcomes more custom.
As well as ordering on site, peoplecanpre-ordertheirfood and drink through the Brew & Bake app.
The menu has a range of options, including a breakfast roll and coffee for £4; paninis and toasties from £3.95; sandwichesfrom£2.50;saladsfrom £3.50; soup of the day from £3.75 and jacket potatoes from £3.75.
*Brew & Bake is currently open Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm.