An independent coffee and food chain is set to serve up a boost to Perth’s city centre - creating 35 new jobs.
Bob & Berts will move into the vacant unit at 108-112 High Street this summer - on the corner of King Edward Street - with an opening date set for July.
The building, which boasts a prime location, has previously been occupied by the likes of BrightHouse and House of Highlands.
Founded in Portstewart in Northern Ireland in 2013 by Colin McClean and David Ferguson, Bob & Berts has five further sites in Scotland. The others are located in Kirkcaldy, Falkirk, Dunfermline, Stirling and Dumfries.
Dave Ryan, Scottish regional operations manager for Bob & Berts, explained: “We’ve made a significant investment in transforming the Perth site to create a location that is completely unique in the town and will offer customers an extensive range of great grub and proper coffee served all day long in our relaxed surroundings.
“We carefully select each of our locations where we see a genuine opportunity to meet the needs of the community by providing a store that offers quality, affordable food and drink, and demonstrates a commitment to supporting the future of the local high street.”
The business is transforming the High Street property into a new coffee shop with a “relaxed, family-friendly style, with a cosy interior and alfresco dining space for customers to enjoy.”
Open from 8am, seven days a week, guests can expect an all-day breakfast menu with favourites including ‘Bob’s Famous Fry’ and ‘Spud Stack’, as well as a range of its famous pancake stacks and waffle dishes.
Light bites and lunch dishes are served alongside a range of vegetarian and vegan dishes such as the ‘Vegan Breakfast Burrito’ and a gluten free menu which includes the brunch favourite ‘Eggs Benny’.
Bob & Berts serves its own artisan coffee that is hand-roasted in Northern Ireland using 100 per cent arabica beans, as well as a range of milkshakes, frappes and smoothies.
Following a £2 million investment from BGF in 2017, the business has grown to 25 sites across the UK and in the last 12 months opened its first four sites in the north west of England in Lancaster, Kendal, Preston and Bury.
Pete Wishart, MP for Perth and North Perthshire, is sure Bob & Berts will be a “very welcome addition”.
He said: “I am delighted to hear that Bob & Berts will soon be opening their first site in the heart of Perth. There is already a vibrant café culture in the Fair City, and this will be a very welcome addition.
“Increasingly, we are seeing high street shoppers move away from large retail brands in favour of more localised venues, so investments like this are exactly what is needed to ensure Perth city centre’s economic viability.
“I wish all those involved the best of luck in this exciting endeavour.”
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson yesterday told the PA: “With the cultural transformation currently underway in the city centre, new businesses such as this can only strengthen our offering to those who live, work in and visit the city.
“New businesses coming to Perth will, we hope, boost the confidence of other businesses looking for somewhere to set up and drive renewed interest in occupying premises on our High Street and around the city.”
