EXCITING TIMES FOR HISTORIC BREWERY
Energetic business owners are breathing new life into an historic brewery – with their innovative moves, which are also creating job opportunities.
Newark’s old Warwick Brewery now boasts a new coffee shop, with an exciting hidden dimension, and an expanding fitness business has also signed-up to be its neighbour.
Banks Long & Co has leased Unit 1 (which used to be home to a fashion retailer) to business partners and fitness specialists Graham Curson and Martin Clurow, who are busy revamping their new premises.
Meanwhile Amanda and Jody Bett have already started putting their stamp on the former eaterie next door (Unit 2 – also leased by Banks Long & Co), where the couple have launched The Coffee Chain. But their investment doesn’t stop there – they are at work in the basement too!
It’s great news for the town and both businesses, because part of the old brewery comprises private homes. It is located right next to the busy edge-of-town Northgate Retail Park and the brewery frontage offers on-site parking.
Graham and Martin have operated Arena Health & Fitness UK in Newark’s Appleton Gate for the past six years but, with the lease due to expire at the end of the year, had been searching for the right premises for its relocation. That search led them to the Warwick Brewery.
“We are really excited about our impending relocation. Our new unit is bigger, which means we can house more equipment and offer users more classes, as well as access to personal trainers, sports therapy and physio treatments. Users will enjoy working out in modern surroundings, within a characterful building,” said Martin.
“We are also looking to create more jobs and hope to eventually employ a team of six to eight staff, but it will take us around three months of hard work to get the gym ready for opening. When it has been fully fitted-out, we will be open seven days a week,” said Graham.
Meanwhile, in Unit 2, Amanda and Jody Bett have launched The Coffee Chain. The coffee shop, which seats more than 60 people (inside and out). It employs five and serves delicious coffees, cakes and light lunches, and has got off to a flying start.
The Lincoln couple, have ploughed 30 years of hospitality industry experience into their new coffee shop, which also caters for vegetarians, vegans and those with gluten-free diets – but they are not going to stop there!
Jody, who coaches adults and children cycling at Lincoln’s Velo Club, is already revamping the café’s basement, which is being dedicated to the world of cycling and fitness and transformed to house the café’s “sister” The Bike Chain! It is due to open next Spring.
“We are thrilled with people’s response to our café, but we are also busy transforming the basement of our unit to house vintage and specialist niche bicycles and a Wattbike training Studio – where cyclists can be tested and trained. We will also be offering bicycle repairs with an extensive workshop.”
But people are already able to tap into sports massage therapy delivered by Jo Tindley, who is one of the Top 10 women cyclists in the country, and Marty Hobby, a life coach, who specialises in wellbeing therapies including NLP, diet and nutrition, is also available to offer her advice and treatments.
“Cycle cafes are becoming increasing popular and we hope ours will become well-known, it’s already a regular resting place for cycling clubs and a stop-off for leisure and even some professional cyclists. However it’s not all about bicycles!! Most of our clientele are shoppers or local residents who are here to just socialise and enjoy the coffee and relaxed atmosphere which we have carefully created,” added Jody.
Banks Long & Co Associate Director Lewis Cove said: “I am delighted to have leased premises in the brewery to Arena Health & Fitness UK and The Coffee Chain. It is great to see new life being breathed into this impressive building and I wish both businesses the very best for the future.”