A growing national street food firm and an engineering company are the first two businesses to take up space at the former Café Royal building in Newcastle.
The historic property – now called 8 Nelson Street – was home to Café Royal until it closed in 2020 after more than two decades in business. The whole building was acquired by developer and landlord MCM Group, a property company owned by Ian Watson, the founder of successful luxury care home business Hadrian Healthcare.
MCM Group has been carrying out a lengthy, £1.5m makeover inside and out, turning the building into a contemporary space for new tenants. It has previously been revealed how chef and TV presenter Nisha Katona has chosen the Grade II listed property to provide a home for her 22nd UK Mowgli restaurant. And now international engineering consultancy, Global Maritime, has also signed a deal to move into the building.
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Mowgli Street Food was founded by Ms Katona in Liverpool in 2014, after the chef switched to the leisure industry after spending 20 years as a child protection barrister. She has since become a familiar face on TV shows including Great British Menu, This Morning, Sunday Brunch and Secret Chef.
Ms Katona’s restaurant brand Mowgli, which serves Indian street food with a twist, has signed up for 3,798 sqft on the basement, ground and first floors and will open its doors to diners this summer.
Due to expansion, Global Maritime, which specialises in marine and offshore engineering in renewable energy and the energy transition, has secured the third and fourth floors, taking up just over 3,000 sqft of office space. The Norwegian firm has signed a five-year lease and will relocate its 15-strong Newcastle team into the building from The Core at Newcastle Helix, in the first quarter of the year
MCM Group is carrying out a fit-out to meet Global Maritime’s office space needs.
Gareth Ellery, director of geosciences, at Global Martime said: “This is a transformative move for our business to a prestigious new city centre address and is a real statement of intent for our employees and clients alike. Growth in offshore renewables and the energy transition is very strong, with Newcastle at the epicentre of many key developments in the supply chain. We’re excited to be positioned here, securing a great platform for expansion and a fantastic work environment for our team members.”
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Joint agents, Knight Frank and Parker Knights are marketing the remaining space which is on the second floor and comprises 1,732 sqft.
Nathan Douglas at Knight Frank, said: “This is market-leading space in a vibrant, thriving and central location in Newcastle city centre, only a minute’s walk from The Monument and situated opposite the city’s well-loved Grainger Market. When we first saw the plans that MCM Group had for renovating the property, we knew that interest would be high and we were right – the landlord has been able to take their pick of tenants, based on those that are the best fit for the building.”
Douglas Cranston, investment director, at MCM Group which owns 8 Nelson Street, said: “It is fantastic to see our vision for the building now come to fruition. Our strategy was to bring this iconic city centre building back into use with a high-quality refurbishment. It is testament to the immense character of the building, the team that has been involved and the standard of the refurbishment, that we are now able to welcome two tenants of such stature to the building.”