A hotly anticipated new leisure venue, Flower Café has officially opened in Sunderland’s Keel Square.
The Flower Café has already proved popular at its sites in Newcastle’s Grainger Street which opened in 2021 and Alnwick and Whitley Bay and a fifth Flower Café is also in the making on Jesmond’s Osborne Road which is due to open later this summer.
The colourful new addition to Sunderland’s hospitality scene looks out onto the new Culture House which is closing in on completion and has 113 covers inside and a pavement cafe with a further 46 seats running along High Street West. The venue complements The Botanist and Keel Tavern, and The Muddler, which is expected to open later this year, all operating out of units beneath the Holiday Inn, creating a leisure destination.
The Wearside café and cocktail bar which was designed by north east based Pulp Studios Design House who also designed the original Newcastle site, has neon lighting, faux flower detailing and a pink and blue theme throughout.
Sayturk Group is a high-growth property development, hospitality and leisure operator based in the North East and manages several individually designed sites, including concept bars, late-night venues, pubs, cafes and luxury holiday apartments.
The latest offering comes hot on the heels of several other high-profile deals in the North East hospitality sector by the Sayturk Group, secured by Sweeney Miller Law’s specialist hospitality and leisure and licensing teams.
This month, Bar Loco in Newcastle was taken over by the Sayturk Group and last year, the operator acquired the lease of Metropolitan House on Collingwood Street, Newcastle which will be converted into a stylish boutique-style 21-bedroom hotel.
Zafer Saygilier, CEO of Sayturk Group said:
“I hope that the addition of a Flower Café in Sunderland will bring something different to the city and will be enjoyed day and night by people who live and work in Sunderland as well as the increasing number of tourists who visit.”
Commenting on the transaction, Surbhi Vedhara, Managing Partner of Sweeney Miller Law said:
“Sunderland is a transforming city with huge potential, and it has been wonderful to work with Zafar and the Sayturk Group on their first opening in Sunderland. I am sure that the Flower Café Sunderland will be a huge success and a welcome addition to the Sunderland hospitality scene.”
Sayturk Group were supported by Sunderland City Council, who are driving the transformation of Riverside Sunderland which is now recognised nationally as one of the most ambitious regeneration schemes in the UK.
Councillor Kevin Johnston, cabinet member for Housing, Regeneration and Business at Sunderland City Council added:
“Flower Cafe has been a huge success in Newcastle and like the hospitality groups behind The Botanist, the Keel Tavern and The Muddler, it is wonderful to see another business that has traditionally focused on locations North of the Tyne seeing the huge potential in our transforming city.”
"We've worked hard to make sure that Sunderland attracts the best venues, and this is another example of that. We hope residents and visitors alike enjoy this exciting new offer."
The Flower Café is one of a number of new additions to Riverside Sunderland and is part of a plan to boost the number of people living, working and playing in the heart of the city. The ambition is to double the resident population of the city centre from 2,500 to 5,000 and increase employment by 50% to 18,000, as well as creating new places and spaces for people to enjoy. For the latest developments from Riverside Sunderland, visit www.riversidesunderland.com.
