Festival Place in Basingstoke has announced an exciting lineup of new food and beverage offerings. Boswells, a family-run café, and Heavenly Desserts, the popular dessert brand, will be launching at the centre later this year. In addition, pan-Asian restaurant chain wagamama has committed to expanding its footprint at the centre, adding more space to accommodate its growing customer base. The latest deals were secured by Sovereign Centros from CBRE, the asset manager of Festival Place.
Boswells to Open New Location
Opening in Bedford Square, Boswells, the family-run café business established in 1972, will offer freshly prepared, made-to-order meals from a 4,766 sq ft space. The café will serve an all-day menu, ranging from breakfast options like toasties and jacket potatoes to lunch and afternoon tea. Known for its cosy, welcoming atmosphere and excellent customer service, Boswells will be a new spot for visitors to relax in the heart of Festival Place.
Nick Burn, Managing Director at Boswells, expressed excitement about the upcoming opening: “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.”
wagamama Expands to Meet Demand
Festival Place-favourite wagamama, which has been serving its iconic pan-Asian dishes for over 10 years, will upsize its existing unit to create room for 46 additional diners. The expanded space, totalling approximately 3,900 sq ft, will allow wagamama to cater to more guests, offering their well-loved menu of katsu curries, ramen bowls, and noodle dishes.
Sita Wood, Head of Regional Marketing at wagamama, commented: “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 iconic bowls to even more of our valued locals. We can’t wait to welcome our guests and celebrate our brand-new look.”
Heavenly Desserts to Launch in Basingstoke
Heavenly Desserts will open its doors for the first time in Basingstoke, introducing its menu of hand-crafted sweet treats. Located in a 1,300 sq ft unit opposite Five Guys, the dessert outlet will offer an array of cakes, tarts, cheesecakes, crepes, and waffles. Customers can also enjoy a variety of drinks, including milkshakes, smoothies, and lemonades.
Expanding Festival Place’s F&B Offering
Poppy Radford, Asset Manager at Sovereign Centros, highlighted Festival Place’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its food and beverage options: “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 Boswell’s and Heavenly Desserts adding two fresh hospitality options and wagamama’s upcoming expansion strengthening the centre’s restaurant offer even further.”
Recent Additions at Festival Place
The trio of new F&B offerings follows the recent opening of American fried chicken chain Slim Chickens. The restaurant, which occupies a 3,503 sq ft unit opposite the Festival Square entrance, has been serving its popular hand-breaded buttermilk-marinated chicken to Festival Place visitors.
With a growing array of dining options, Festival Place continues to position itself as Basingstoke’s go-to destination for food, retail, and leisure.
