Two traditional city centre cafes, which were forced to close as a result of changing consumer habits, have been sold.
Commercial property specialist Andrew and Ashwell said they had sold the former Brucciani cafes in Fox Lane and Church Gate, Leicester.
It comes on the back of the sale of the city centre’s long-established Brucciani’s bakery building.
Brucciani announced it was closing its Leicester bakery and centre cafes in the spring, after 82 years of trading.
In that time it became famous among Leicester families for its coffee and cakes, sandwiches and ice cream sodas.
The Churchgate and Fox Lane branches were victims of changing shopping habits, forced to go the same way as other once famous Leicester names such as Fenwicks, Lewis’s, Irish Menswear and Woolworths.
Some 50 staff were made redundant.
At the time owner Tom Brucciani said he had already sold the bakery in Bath Lane, while the two shops had been under offer.
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Leicester-based Andrew and Ashwell said the sales had now been formally completed, although details of the buyers have not been released.
Mr Brucciani said he had been very sad to close cafes that had been hugely popular and unique to Leicester.
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He said: “Against a backdrop of a weak demand in the retail sector, I have been delighted with the services of Andrew and Ashwell, who successfully marketed and achieved the sale of our two city centre properties in a very short space of time, achieving the asking prices in both cases.
“The quality and location of the buildings has been well highlighted by the marketing materials produced, including 360 degree photography.
“While the high profile of Brucciani’s within Leicester has helped garner interest, Andrew and Ashwell has nonetheless invited enquiries from a wide range of potential purchasers, distilling these into serious bidders and then handling the negotiations professionally, carefully and sensitively.”
Andrew and Ashwell surveyor Kelvin Wilson said: “From marketing launch both buildings saw encouraging levels of interest and after competitive bidding, we are were delighted that both premises came under offer within only a matter of weeks.
“It is very encouraging to see the levels of appetite currently within the local market and given the roots of these buildings, we are hopeful that both premises will continue to trade as independently run eateries with the Brucciani legacy in mind.”
Don’t miss
The Fox Lane premises off Humberstone Gate, opposite the Haymarket shopping centre, is a traditional three-storey Georgian building, comprising over 3,500 sq ft.
The purpose-built Church Gate premises is close to Highcross shopping centre.