Three Local Businesses to Open at The Crossing in Swindon’s Brunel Shopping Centre

Three more established local businesses have selected Swindon Town Centre’s new food hub, The Crossing, to open their latest ventures.

First to open will be Tastes of Portugal, who are expanding from their first shop in the old tented market.  Run by business owner Isabel Simoes, Tastes of Portugal will offer the Portuguese groceries for which they are already well known together with a delicatessen counter with imported cheese and meats, plus Portuguese wines and beers.  Tastes of Portugal will serve hot food, hog roasts and pastries.

Desserts and More is the latest venture from well-known local sweetshop, Sweets Galore.  Sweets Galore has been established in The Brunel shopping centre for ten years and have decided The Crossing is the perfect opportunity to open their new concept dessert and ice-cream parlour serving entirely desserts and shakes.  Shopfitting has now started and it is hoped that the new dessert shop will open in late October/early November.  Prior to the opening the sweet shop itself will relocate from Canal Walk to a unit next door to the dessert parlour, upstairs in Brunel Arcade.

Triple Two Coffee, which opened in The Brunel centre in August 2016, has been so successful the owners have decided to open an additional unit within The Crossing.  The new Triple Two will have more food available and will serve breakfasts, light lunches and will offer an extensive take-away menu, as well as their signature coffee for which they are already renowned.  Positioned at the top of the new escalator from Canal Walk, Triple Two’s owners hope to capitalise on the lunchtime market.  They intend to open in late October/early November.

David Hodgetts, co-owner of Triple Two said: “It’s been an absolutely amazing year for us.  Our new brand, 222, has been really well received, so much so that not only are we expanding our Swindon presence into The Crossing where we will have the space to serve even more food, but also we are in the process of opening franchises in Bristol, Nottingham and Glasgow.  Our brand is based on serving exceptionally good coffee and freshly made natural food.  Our success so far shows there is a real desire for good quality, handmade, food and drink.”

The three new businesses will join other local businesses that opened in The Crossing earlier this year. Eggelicious, who serve freshly made wraps and healthy meals and McCTAFF’s Cake Maker and Tearoom, who serve traditional tea plus homemade cakes, scones and sandwiches.  Both have already built up a loyal following of customers.

James Raspin, Head of Asset Management for FI Real Estate Management (FIREM) who manage the centre, said: “We are delighted to welcome these new businesses to The Crossing and it’s great to see local entrepreneurs developing their ventures with us.

“There are now only three remaining units left at The Crossing with 85% of the new venture either let, with the legal teams or under offer.  Whilst we acknowledge the unfortunate delays that the project has suffered, we’re delighted that The Crossing is now coming to life.  We hope to be able to announce the names of three well-known brands soon, once all the legal paperwork has been finalised.”

The new escalator entrance from Canal Walk has now been completed and will open shortly.  This will allow pedestrian access into the shopping centre.  The toilet refurbishment is now complete and the new toilets opened on Friday 15 September.