Dining is on the up as The Crossing food hub opens at The Brunel

Swindon’s newest and largest food hub, The Crossing at The Brunel Shopping Centre, played host to some of the town’s VIPs at its official opening by the town’s mayor, Councillor Maureen Penny.

The Crossing is a 20,000 sq ft food hub on the first floor of the upper mall, which is home to a mix of independent restaurants and cafes and High Street eateries offering fresh food and drinks. These include Chopstix Noodle Bar, Subway, Triple Two Coffee, boutique bistro Eggelicious and the latest additions, Indy’s Vegan Kitchen and Soul Shack.

The Crossing is now easily accessible from Canal Walk, thanks to investment by the company that runs The Brunel, FI Real Estate Management (FIREM), in an escalator that leads directly to the food hub.

The vibrant well-connected hub includes a 200+ seater dining area that serves the new eateries, and a Street Food Kitchen area where small independent businesses offer quick service and a wide range of eat-in and grab-and-go international food.

Jane Stewart, Deputy Manager of The Brunel, says feedback from visitors to The Crossing has been overwhelmingly positive.

“People are telling us that they love the look and feel of it, really appreciate the wide choice on offer, and enjoy either being able to linger over a meal with friends or just check their emails over a quick coffee,” says Jane.

“We also love the fact that several of the independents have already built very successful businesses locally and have chosen The Crossing as the next step in their growth. For example, Triple Two Coffee have been so successful on the ground floor of The Brunel Plaza that they have opened a second coffee shop here, and Eggelicious has chosen The Crossing for its third restaurant, Eggelicious E3. McCtaff’s originally specialised as a home-made cake caterer but has expanded to combine cake catering with a traditional English tearoom. And Sweets Galore began in a unit in The Arcade before moving into a new unit at The Crossing, and also opening Desserts and More next store.

“We are delighted that so many successful local entrepreneurs are developing their ventures with us, and adding such great value to all visitors to The Brunel and the wider town centre.”

James Raspin Head of Asset Management Offices and Retail  with FIREM says the firm’s investment in The Crossing demonstrates the confidence it has in Swindon Town Centre.

“The Brunel is very much at the heart of the town centre, and we knew the demand was there from shoppers and others for more restaurants and cafes offering high-quality food of all types,” said James.

“Before FIREM took over the management of The Brunel there had been little investment in the centre for some time, and we’re very proud to have revolutionised The Brunel with this venture. It has opened up the area between the Plaza and the Arcade and brought a new dynamic to the centre. FIREM has a reputation for driving high-quality change, and The Brunel is now a flagship for us – proof of how investment, imagination and an eye for detail can be genuinely transformational.”