Excitement as Five New Traders Open in Grainger Market

Excitement builds at the Grainger Market as five new traders open their doors in the historic alleyways.

The Grainger Market has welcomed five new businesses to the alleyways – Yummie Yogurts, Komono Accessories, Lindsay’s, Street Food Sri Lanka and World of Sweets following strong footfall figures in recent months.

Since 1835, the Grainger Market has been home to some of the best independent businesses in the North East. The community atmosphere, great footfall and established reputation have helped businesses to flourish for decades, like Robinson’s Pet Store which has been open in the Grainger Market since 1929.

Newcastle City Council has been working with Grainger Market traders and FaulknerBrowns on development plans - due to start soon - thanks to £8.2million of funding from the UK Government.

The vision is to create a space for cultural activities in the market and continue growing visitor figures, providing quality, affordable retail opportunities for independent businesses while retaining the existing loyal customer base.

Yummie Yogurts

Yummie Yogurts opened in the Grainger Market at the start of July, and has already been popular with both new and old customers.

As Zeynep’s first business venture, she has always had her eyes on the Grainger Market due to its popularity in the North East and a huge variety of traders.

Speaking of her first few weeks in business, Zeynep said: “Opening the store has been a huge rollercoaster of emotions. I recently graduated from law school, so this wasn’t the path that most of my peers went down.

“Yummie Yogurts started as a dream and it is now a reality. I couldn’t have wished for it to go any better and a huge thanks to all of the staff in the Grainger Market and our lovely neighbours for their help, they are the best.”

Komono Accessories

Cora opened Komono Accessories in the Grainger Market after years of touring North East markets. With the help of her sister, Carol, the pair kitted out a unit on Alley 2 to become a haven of quirky and cute jewellery, Asian-inspired accessories and more. 

Following years of trading in a number of different North East Markets and Newcastle Christmas Markets, the sisters gained customers who they got to know well. These customers wanted Komono to have a permanent home, and Cora and Carol knew the Grainger Market was the perfect place. 

Cora said: “We have always wanted to open in the Grainger Market so I am really excited. Since being a student in Newcastle, I have always loved the atmosphere and the vibe of the Grainger Market. 

“We have amazing customers who we love seeing at different markets so we’re very proud to open a shop that is in such a central location for them to visit at all times in the year.”

Lindsay’s

Lindsay’s Fisheries is entering a new chapter as they open another unit on Alley 1. The team will be serving takeaway meals using the catch of the day that is collected each morning from the North.

Prioritising local produce, fish fingers, Craster kippers, crab stotties and prawn cocktails will be on the menu, using ingredients from the North East only.

Lindsay’s was established in 1936 and co-owner Blake Fletcher has worked here since he was a teenager. Looking forward to the new venture, he said: “I’m really looking forward to trying something new in the Grainger Market.

“We already have an amazing range of food traders, but it’ll be nice to add something different and something local. And it makes sense to make this step now. The future of the Grainger Market looks great with positive changes coming.”

Co-owner and Dad, Paul Fletcher, said: “I have worked for Lindsay’s for decades. It’s all I know, so doing something different is really exciting.

“We decided to open the new shop to offer a healthy takeaway option. We already had the unit and have been thinking for a while about what we can do with it that’s a bit different  - it was time to step outside our comfort zone.

“We have more to come - it’s just all a learning curve for us and we’re having fun with it.”

Street Food Sri Lanka

Street Food Sri Lanka, an authentic Sri Lankan cafe from the owners of URY Restaurant on Newcastle’s Quayside, opened in Alley 1 in May.

Owned by Dushantha Alawattegama, the new site serves traditional Sri Lankan dishes such as Lamb Lamprais, Seafood Koththu and tradional Sri Lankan rice & curry. They also serve popular Sri Lankan snacks including Mutton Roll, Vegetable Roti & Godambar Wraps – all served by a hand-picked team of Sri Lankan chefs.

The Café also serves authentic Ceylon Tea in different varieties which is sourced directly from plush tea gardens in Sri Lanka. Their traditional black & white tea and spice tea are the most popular.

The street food cafe celebrates Sri Lanka’s colourful and vibrant cuisine, where diners can expect to find a wide range of vivid seafood dishes, traditional curry, herbs, vegetables and exotic fruits on the menu.

Speaking of opening his restaurant in the Grainger Market, Dush said: “It has been a pleasure to be operating at the Grainger Market and a delight to receive positive feedback from customers enjoying our food and beverages. It is definitely something very special to us.

“There’s an established exciting food community in the Market, it has great footfall, there are lots of traders spanning generations and the exciting plans for the future look great too. It was the ideal spot to start my new venture.”

World of Sweets

Dave and Carine have been painting, ordering and designing bits and bobs for the past few weeks to make sure their new venture, World of Sweets, is ready for business.

Opening World of Sweets has always been a dream for the pair, and what better place to open it than next door to their first business venture, Manhua Cha, in the Grainger Market?

The shop will offer a range of traditional British sweets, rare American candy and some favourites from Asia.

Hoping to welcome customers in the coming weeks, Dave said: “It's been a fantastic first year for Manhua Cha in Grainger Market. After a year of having a permanent shop, it's been a delight to welcome back regulars from our old shop and introduce new customers, helping them to find their favourite flavour of bubble tea.

“We can't wait to get our World of Sweets shop up and running. We originally opened World of Sweets three weeks before lockdown in 2020. Sadly it just wasn't the right time to start a business, but we’re hopeful that this time will be much more positive.

“With the pandemic behind us, we're excited to bring unusual sweets and treats from around the world, and a range of traditional British sweets which pair perfectly with the historic Grainger Market.

“We absolutely love being a part of Grainger Market. It really is a part of the historic culture of the city.”

Cllr Nick Kemp, Leader of Newcastle City Council said: “It is always good to hear of new businesses opening in the Grainger Market and existing businesses doing well and expanding.

“These local traders and small independent businesses are the life blood of our city and play a vital role in helping to ensure an inclusive economy that benefits of all our residents.

“We are committed to investing in the city centre and the city as a whole, and as well as planning for the redevelopment of the market, we want to continue to offer a good quality and affordable location, where these businesses can establish themselves and flourish. I wish them all well for their future.”