The owner of Brew Bar has opened a new coffee shop in the centre of Harrogate.
Simon Somerville-Frost, who has operated his original venture on St Winifred’s Avenue since 2018, opened the new coffee shop on Royal Parade this week under the name &… Harrogate.
&… Harrogate provides lunch and brunch as well as a wide range of coffees, pastries and bakes. It plans to transition to also operate as an evening bar in the weeks ahead.
It took about nine weeks to transform the former Gron building, which closed last year.
Mr Somerville-Frost said &… Harrogate was designed to look and feel completely different to Brew Bar, which has established a reputation as a community coffee shop in the saints area of Harrogate.
He said:
“We just decided to something totally different. It’s a completely different look from Brew Bar and a really nice space.
“It’s a natural evolution from Brew Bar. I didn’t want the space to look too ‘coffee shop’.We’ve gone for a quite darker aesthetic so we can transition easily into an evening bar.
“People feel comfortable in both environments and we are excited to get going.”
Read more:
- Plan for new cafe on Harrogate’s Cambridge Street
- A-ha’s sound man opens record shop and bar in Harrogate
New town centre venture for Harrogate coffee shop owner
A Harrogate coffee shop owner is set to open a new business in the centre of town.
Simon Somerville-Frost, who opened Brew Bar on St Winifred’s Avenue in May 2018, has just picked up the keys for 3 Royal Parade.
He plans to turn it into a coffee, brunch and evening venue, under the name &… Harrogate.
Brew Bar has been teasing the new development on its social media accounts over the last week before finally revealing more details last night. In a post on its Instagram account, it said:
“We’ve got keys! Introducing @ampersand_harrogate, our new coffee, brunch and evening venue situated at 3 Royal Parade, Harrogate.
“We’re looking forward to sharing our progress prior to our launch.”
Read more:
- Harrogate coffee shop launches ‘community table’
- Grön Kafe closes its Harrogate branch after two years
The business is recruiting kitchen and front-of-house staff, as well as managers and supervisors, ready for the new venue’s launch. The date has yet to be confirmed.
The premises was previously home to Gron, a small chain of Leeds-based cafes serving vegetarian, vegan and pescatarian dishes. It closed its doors in Harrogate late last year, having first arrived in the town in December 2020.
Brew Bar was opened by Simon opposite his own home, when he realised he didn’t know any of his neighbours and wanted to build more of a sense of community.
Last year, it set up a ‘community table’ where people could sit if they wanted someone to chat to. It also enabled customers to gift a coffee to others who couldn’t afford to buy one.
Harrogate coffee shop launches ‘community table’A Harrogate coffee shop has launched a ‘community table’ to allow people to chat to others as fears over the cost of living crisis grow.
Brew Bar, on St Winifred’s Avenue, is also inviting customers to gift a coffee in advance for those who are not in a position to buy a drink.
It comes after what business owner Simon Somerville-Frost described as “a tough few years”.
He said:
“I’m feeling it, like most other people in this world, the daily pressures are visible.
“What a tough few years we’ve all had, and many are feeling nervous about the imminent future, myself included.
“However, it’s normal to feel like this and it is now we rely on those around us.”
To help those struggling, Mr Somerville-Frost has introduced the community table to Brew Bar.
He explained:
“If you’re feeling low and want to chat to someone, or just want to leave the house to gain some headspace, we invite you to sit at our community table to chat to others in similar positions, make friends and see that things will be ok.
“For those who are in a position who unfortunately are unable to purchase a drink, don’t worry, we want you to be apart of our family and we invite customers to gift a coffee in advance for those who would appreciate receiving it.”
Simon Somerville-Frost
Tucked away on a residential street just off the Stray, the Harrogate cafe became a lifeline for the local community and nearby hospital staff. during the pandemic.
Brew Bar opened in May 2018 after Mr Somerville Frost realised that, after nearly a decade of living in the Saints area, he didn’t know any of his neighbours and felt the sense of community had been lost.
Read more:
- Harrogate cafe a ‘hidden gem’ for locals and hospital staff
- Caffeine boost: The rise of the independent coffee shops in Harrogate
In an effort to put that right, he took on a shop unit opposite his home and soon expanded next door.
Some tried to dissuade him from opening a cafe outside the town centre, but he was confident that it could become the heart of the local community.
And this latest initiative forms part of his ongoing mission to continue rebuild the community network by bringing people together.
Mr Somerville-Frost has previously spoken out about his battle with depression and anxiety after lockdown and how his customers helped him get through it.
Speaking to his customers in a social media post, he said:
“Personally once again, you keep me going, you give me the hope that together things will be ok and for this I thank you immensely.
“It’s not about buying something you can’t live without, it’s about supporting a business and people you don’t want to live without.”