Trio of F&B brands to open at Festival Place

Boswells, Heavenly Desserts and Wagamama are set to open new locations at the shopping destination in Basingstoke. 

Opening in Bedford Square, Boswells is a family-run cafe business established in 1972, operating throughout the South, South West and Wales. The cafe will offer a menu of made to order food, including all day breakfast, salads, toasts, and afternoon tea, from its 4,766 sq ft space. 

Nick Burn, managing director at Boswells, said: “With over 18 cafés located across the South of the UK, we have long been wanting to come to Basingstoke. As the heart of the town’s retail and leisure offer, Festival Place makes for the ideal home, and we’re looking forward to introducing our family-run concept to a brand new audience.” 

Also set to join the centre for the first time is Heavenly Desserts, which will introduce its menu of hand-crafted desserts, including an assortment of cakes, tarts, crepes, waffles and drinks such as milkshakes, smoothies and lemonades – all from its 1,300 sq ft space.

Meanwhile, Wagamama has committed to upsizing its existing unit, taking a total of 3,900 sq ft of space and creating room for 46 extra diners. 

Sita Wood, head of regional marketing at Wagamama, said: “We’re so excited to be upsizing our Festival Place Wagamama restaurant. The additional covers will help us to meet local demand and serve our bowls to even more of our valued locals. We can’t wait to welcome our guests and celebrate our brand new look.”

Poppy Radford, asset manager at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, added: “At Festival Place we are committed to not only adding new brands to diversify our offer, but to nurture existing tenants, creating space for them to invest and grow. 

“This latest trio of deals are evidence of this ongoing commitment, with Boswells and Heavenly Desserts adding two fresh hospitality options and Wagamama’s upcoming expansion strengthening the centre’s restaurant offer even further.”