Plans for cafe at Newcastle city centre's newest…

Plans for cafe at Newcastle city centre's newest office Bank House move forward

Plans for a restaurant or cafe at Newcastle’s newest office tower have been stepped up with property specialists advertising the site.

The 14-storey Bank House office is now nearing completion on Pilgrim Street as the first phase of a £100m-plus regeneration project currently transforming the city centre. The 207-foot high building, designed by Ryder Architecture and built by Bowmer + Kirkland on behalf of the Reuben Brothers’ development vehicle Taras Properties, will have room for more than 1,000 workers when it officially opens for business.

Tenants so far include law firm DAC Beachcroft, which is taking 15,000sqft of space across one and a half floor, and insurer Lycetts which is moving its 105-strong Newcastle workforce into 10,000sqft on the sixth floor. And the hunt for a leisure tenant, to open a 1,195sqft restaurant or cafe on the ground floor of the building, is now under way.

Joint agents from @retail and Savills, who have been enlisted by the property owners, have issued a brochure outlining the opportunity, saying: “There are a number of bars and cafés in the vicinity and the adjoining Worswick Chambers is currently undergoing redevelopment to provide 40,000sqft accommodation for The Stack, a mixed use leisure venue which will open in Autumn 2024.

A new CGI of Bank House, East Pilgrim Street, Newcastle (Avison Young)

“Due to level changes, there is significant height within the unit and therefore scope to incorporate a mezzanine on terms to be agreed. The unit physically adjoins the main reception area and whilst it has been built as a self-contained space for a café, there is scope to open up part of the sub-dividing wall to provide visibility and access for visitors and office users alike subject to the requirements of the end user. Additionally there is an external landscaped terrace with existing hard seating and with scope for further seating as required.”

The move follows on from the search for leisure operators to open a rooftop restaurant on top of the Monument Mall, which was acquired by Reuben Brothers in 2021. Current tenant Sports Direct is set to move out of the building into the former H&M store on Northumberland Street, paving the way for changes to the building.

Ian Angus, director at @retail: "This is a fresh and exciting opportunity for someone to establish a presence within one of Newcastle's most prominent new commercial destinations. It's a very flexible space with potential for a mezzanine floor, as well as a direct internal link to central reception whilst having a stunning outdoor seating area with a south facing aspect.

"We are looking for a food and beverage or cafe operator who is inspired by the huge potential of the location and has ideas on what could be created within the ground floor of Bank House, not only serving the hundreds of people who will be working in the building, but also attracting business from the general public."