Hexham businesses back calls to transform town into 'top class foodie destination'

As the town is under construction to widen pavements and plant trees, Hexham residents look forward to the future of sitting and enjoying food outdoors.

It comes as Loungers PLC, a popular bar and restaurant franchise, chose Hexham as its first North East location which will open at the end of August 2023.

Food by fusion restaurant Cilantro in Hexham (Image: Supplied)

This development is part of the Hexham High Streets Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) plan, which will deliver a £2.4m programme of improvements to boost the town centre and enhance the Conservation Area, focusing on Priestpopple, Battle Hill and Cattle Market.

Suzanne Fairless-Aitken, town councillor for Hexham East, said plans to regenerate Hexham are in progress.

Angela Wilson preparing coffee at Small World Cafe (Image: Wil Cheung)

Plans will include widening pavements on Priestpopple to allow restaurants to have outdoor seating. 

"The vision on Priestpopple is to widen the pavements to be able to put tables, chairs, planters and trees so people can sit out and enjoy the sunshine. Hopefully, we'll be able to get some heaters for the winter.

"I think it's brilliant, we've got Loungers moving in too. We've got to find our unique selling point in Hexham, the high street is changing and if we're seen as a social coffee shop foodie hub that would be brilliant. 

"But you need the wide pavements and the permits from Northumberland County Hall."

The interior of a Lounge restaurant (Image: Loungers PLC)

"I'm hoping Loungers has a knock-on effect for this town, and more places open up. The interest is definitely there in Hexham. It's like a domino effect with these things, once one thing opens another opens.

"If you build it they will come," she added.

Angela Wilson, the owner of Small World Cafe in Hexham, said: "It's always good for friendly competition, at the minute we're pretty busy anyway so it would be great to have more areas where people could sit outside.

"I don't think there are many cafes or restaurants where you can sit outside at the moment."

Fiona who works at the Rising Cafe in Hexham (Image: Newsquest)

Penny Grennan, town councillor for Gilesgate, said: "It would be great if Hexham had a greater range of shops, particularly food shops.

"We want more independent food shops so people don't have to go to supermarkets.

"I would welcome outdoor spaces where people could eat and congregate, I'm a great fan of some form of pedestrianisation of the marketplace."

Fiona works at the Rising Cafe (Image: Newsquest)

"I think that would be the perfect area, especially in the summer, but it's hugely expensive to do road closures so that would need to be addressed. "Anything that makes Hexham support its tourist offer and also gives the people of Hexham a wider choice of things to do and places to go, and support local and independent businesses has got my vote," Cllr Grennan said.

Assistant director of Policy at the North East England Chamber of Commerce, Rachel Anderson, said: “Our town centres are changing and we have seen a significant shift in recent years from goods retail to more of a service-based offer. 

Food by Indo-Latino fusion restaurant Cilantro (Image: Cilantro)

"A food offer which caters for a variety of tastes and budgets has been shown to be a significant driver of footfall both in the daytime and evening economies."

Nabil Aziz, who runs the Indo-Latino fusion restaurant Cilantro in Hexham, said: "It's great to see that Hexham is becoming more of a foodie town, attracting visitors from far and wide to try our fantastic restaurants. Having more outdoor seating, particularly in the summer, would certainly be aesthetically pleasing."