There appears to be a healthy appetite for cafes and restaurants in Letchworth as we head into the festive period with three food spots opening their doors in recent weeks and a proposal for a Mediterranean restaurant tabled.
Despite studio Craft Cocoon and Funkydory Clothing – as well as Tumble Tent – bidding farewell to The Wynd last year, the niche shopping area has been boosted by a double addition of new intriguing retailers.
The Deli – which was fitted with its new sign on Tuesday – has opened and is packed full of artisan breads, cheeses, cooked meats and the promise of wine in the near future.
A few doors down and you’ll find The Crafty Vegetarian, both a workshop for making chocolate, candles and body scrubs, and a cosy venue for a hot drink and a veggie snack.
Matthew Foulis, who is portfolio manager for the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, said:
“It’s positive to see the food offer expand in the town centre.
“The Wynd offers a fantastic opportunity for start-up businesses and we hope they do really well.”
Over in Eastcheap, a new management team has taken over the Italian restaurant formerly known as Ciao Café, having previously run Manhattan Café in Stevenage’s Westgate Shopping Centre for more than 20 years.
The owner of iZ Café, who prefers to be known just as Eddie, said “We want to thank all our customers after the positive response we have had since moving here.
“We have been looking for the right place to open up since leaving Stevenage a couple of years ago – we would love to welcome our old customers here in Letchworth.
“We have a huge variety of different cuisines to choose from, and I think people appreciate that. It has been going really well.
“There are still some people that come in who weren’t aware that the restaurant is under new management, so we want to welcome as many people as possible through the doors to let them know.
“We will be open until 9pm on Saturday, November 21, where we will be serving festive treats on the evening when the Christmas lights are switched on.”
There could also be another eatery coming to Letchworth in the future after a planning application was handed in to turn a vacant retail unit into a Mediterranean restaurant.
The Leys Avenue unit has been vacant since the owners of Times Past – an antique pine, accessories and gift shop – left in May last year.
The application can be viewed by searching for ‘planning’ via www.north-herts.gov.uk.
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