A new dining concept aimed at breathing new life into empty high street spaces has been launched in Derby.
Fare Traders hopes to help revitalise town and city centres and support up-and-coming ambitious chefs by setting up pop up ‘Fill-in Kitchens’ to pioneer new food experiences.
And it’s first initiative is in Derby, where a former restaurant – which has stood empty for the last two years – has opened as a new street food casual dining venue showcasing three independent food brands.
Behind the idea is Fare Traders, an innovative management company that partners with landlords across the country to bridge tenancy gaps by repurposing empty restaurant and retail spaces for new and emerging food concepts.
Its ‘Fill-in Kitchen’ initiative aims to create pop-ups in prime locations, filling unused spaces for six to 12 months, or longer, serving neighbourhoods looking for something new and interesting.
For its first venture, an empty restaurant on Friar Gate in the heart of Derby city centre, which had no prospect of a long-term tenant, has been given a new lease of life.
It now offers a new street food casual dining experience with three independent food brands offering different cuisines – authentic wood-fired Naples-style pizza from Nea Pizza, Indian street food from Dabbawala and Japanese-style katsu chicken bowls from Maki Kazzo.
Those visiting will be able to place their orders from any of the three vendors by scanning a QR code, while the new space also has a bar serving canned craft beers and pre-mixed cocktails.
Fare Traders believes it offers a sustainable platform that helps regenerate local areas, bringing footfall back to high streets and creating local jobs.
While the Fill-in Kitchen Derby is the first venue launched in the UK, another two – in Kent and Lancashire – are currently being developed.
For more details about the company, see https://fare-traders.com
For more information about visiting, and staying in, Derby, see www.visitderby.co.uk
