Restaurant and coffee shop to open at Hammonds

Part of one of Hull’s most prominent buildings will reopen in spring 2026 with a national restaurant chain and a coffeehouse, officials have confirmed.

The ground floor of Hammonds of Hull has been vacant since the food hall closed in 2023.

Paul White, director of Garness Jones, the letting agent, would not reveal the name of the new restaurant but said he had been “working for 10 years” to bring it to the city.

Kathryn Shillito, executive director of Hull BID, a group which promotes the city centre said: “This unit is going to be revitalised, regenerated, I’m sure it will be something popular. We’re delighted to see that unit used again.”

The agent added renovations will begin in January 2026, and the ground floor has been split into four self-contained units.

A proposal for a bowling alley and bar was submitted in January 2025 and is still pending consideration according to the Hull City Council website.

Carol Richardson, 73, from Orchard Park, Hull, was please the “place will be brightened up a bit.”

She said: “It does depend on how much they charge, if they charge a lot of money for the coffee, people aren’t going to spend it.

“They’ve got to remember that Hull is a working class city.”

However Eva Blackman, 21 from Bridlington hoped it would become a Bella Italia, a popular Italian chain.

She said: “Bella Italia would be great there, but the most I would spend on a coffee is about four quid, but if they sold matcha I’d 100% go.

“The city would benefit from new restaurants too, it would bring more tourists in.”

Macey Lowsley, 18, from Hull, hoped the new restaurant would be a Wagamama or a street food venue.

She said: “I think they would work really well here as the city centre can get quite busy.”

Mr White said the restaurant already had a presence in cities such as Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield, and the proposed coffee shop would be “high premium” and the first UK site for the business.

He added: “The restaurant chain has always identified Hull as a great catchment city. The venue also has great footfall and good visibility opposite Hull station.”

Hull City Council confirmed the new businesses would not benefit from a levelling up grant after it previously provided funding for a regeneration on the upper floors.

The authority did not offer comment on the latest plans.