New café-bar coming to Grove Street

by Lisa Reeves

Tuesday 18^th March 2014

Tue 18^th Mar 2014

A new continental style café-bar is opening on Grove Street, in the premises previously occupied by ST Lounge.

Opening on Friday 28th March, The Old Dancer will be offering local draft real ale, world beers, fine wines and a simple yet hearty menu. From noon they will be serving coffee, cakes, light lunches, platters and locally-made award winning pies.

On the first floor there will be an events lounge, with a second bar featuring more hand-pulls and booths available to book, where they will host a variety of events including live music, film and quiz nights, plus monthly language and craft evenings.

The Old Dancer is being opened by husband and wife team, Tim Sedgwick and Bronwyn Riley from Macclesfield. They love Wilmslow and identified a need in the town for somewhere interesting to go out, as they felt so many of the town's people head to Alderley Edge or Manchester.

Their other businesses include The Treacle Tap, which they opened in Macclesfield in 2010, and The Young Pretender, which they opened in Congleton in 2012.

Tim Sedgwick said "Each of the venues has a similar drinks range but the bars have a very individual feel, as each conversion has used as much as possible from the building's previous use. In Wilmslow this means a discreet nod to the venue's dancing history in its decor!

"However this is an altogether more chaste operation, with family-friendly facilities for the day time and events such as chess club, book club and language conversation groups in the evenings."

Fifteen jobs, some full-time and some part-time, will be created at The Old Dancer and any groups interested in using the free venue should get in touch via [email protected].

Tags:: Grove Street, ST Lounge, The Old Dancer

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Chris Wigley

Tuesday 18^th March 2014 at 3:13 pm

A new cafe-bar is just what Grove Street needs, it will be so useful for those striding up and down the street moving from Charity Shop to Charity Shop

Ian Wilson

Tuesday 18^th March 2014 at 3:23 pm

Oh wonderful...yet another coffee bar!!!!!!

Colin Henderson

Tuesday 18^th March 2014 at 5:40 pm

Look forward to the opening .Great addition to our area.

David Russell

Tuesday 18^th March 2014 at 5:56 pm

There are fewer charity shops in Wilmslow than there used to be and the coffee places all seem to be surviving. Wilmslow looks a whole lot better than many other towns, so let's welcome an innovative new business - and some jobs - and wish it well.

Tuesday 18^th March 2014 at 7:04 pm

Of course David I don't want to see empty shops, but I don't see why we need yet another one when we have more than enough already. Wilmslow needs a photo shop, butchers, maybe a wilkinsons, a card factory as just a few examples. Too many of one type in the town at the more and shops that sell things most of us can't afford!

James Russell

Tuesday 18^th March 2014 at 7:49 pm

I think some people should appreciate the investment in our town, bringing employment and much need vitality to the town centre, instead of scoffing from afar sat on their hands dishing out negativity.

Well done and good luck in your new venture.

Tuesday 18^th March 2014 at 9:50 pm

It isn't about scoffing from afar. When I came to Wilmslow in 1985 Grove Street had two butchers, two independent bookshop, an independent chemist and a shop call the Flying Machine, it also had Rare Records. These days there is nothing unique on the street that cannot be found in any other town. The Artisan Market once a month has brought something very different into the town and tilted the choice of Wilmslow against going to another high street a better prospect. Filling the street with coffee, charity and chain stores does not give Grove Street a unique selling point. When I travel through Bramhall I see more shops that are appealing catering for the everyday needs of shoppers than Wilmslow.

Tuesday 18^th March 2014 at 11:27 pm

The concept of the high street has changed drastically in the past thirty years, anyone who has the money and the entrepreneurial spirit should be welcomed.
Theres a reason why theres no butchers, bakers or candle stick makers on grove st, because everyone shops in the big supermarkets, including the people who bemoan the "state" of grove st.

Derek Stevens

Wednesday 19^th March 2014 at 9:07 am

Chris
You're absolutely right other towns have interesting small shops that make shopping a pleasure.
When I moved to Wilmslow in 1976 and shopped in the town from 1970 the town looked like a lot of towns still thriving today.It even had two camera shops, two pork butchers down Grove Streetand and 4 Supermarkets and MacFisheries.Why did all these places close? I know, and the reasons have been discussed at length through these pages.

Unfortunately Wilmslow is fast becoming dead in the water and all the assistance from people like Mary Portis will not help long term.I feel sorry for independent traders who have enthusiasm and try to make a living in this tough trading environment.

James
Yes people shop in supermarkets, but genuine artisan produced products are hard to find on their shelves. The market should be encouraged to continue, on a Saturday and more frequently.Small shops( if they could afford it) would then blend with the market to make Wilmslow a 'market town'

If nothing works perhaps Wilmslow should become an Outlet Town

Wednesday 19^th March 2014 at 11:02 am

Congratulations Chris, someone actually talking sense about the way the town is going!!!!

When I was a kid back in the 70's there was 2 butchers, tesco's, woolworths, all sports, a big fish shop macfisheries, wine merchants, green grocers, Owens wine store, gents outfitters the list goes on and every Saturday grove street was throbbing, yes I know the internet has had a big effect but we just have to many of the same type of shop or ones that sell shirts for £40 each.. no thanks!

Andreas Rockett

Wednesday 19^th March 2014 at 5:33 pm

Wow why not just wish them we'll and support them instead of moaning about years gone by, times have changed and the village had changed, last time I checked there was a photo shop which closed due to lack of use, much like a lot of the interesting shops that have closed recently, however what seems to work are cafés and eateries so surely that's a good thing as opposed to a ghost town with nothing at all. Once it becomes a destination village once again then there will be lots of individual outlets but to get there the independents need support

Erik Garner

Wednesday 19^th March 2014 at 11:01 pm

God, I wish people would stop harping on about how Wilmslow used to be. Let's welcome this great sounding new bar. No one was happy when the building was a strip joint or an empty shop so let's embrace it. We live in different times now and Wilmslow is still brilliant. It's all about coffee shops and restaurants and we've got some great ones. Long live Wilmslow!

Simon Worthington

Thursday 20^th March 2014 at 11:05 am

Glad the venue is being reopened but unfortunately I doubt it will last. The coffee drinkers won't be able to see the traffic passing or smell the fumes which seem to be so much part of the attraction. Never seen the point of paying over two quid for less than 10 pence worth of coffee (or tea). Will this be another venue putting chairs and tables all over the public highway? The sun rarely shines on this spot as a previous owner found out.
Any truth in the rumour the sports bar may be heading for the exit?
What percentage of Grove Street outlets actually sell (retail) any goods at all??

Oliver Romain

Monday 31^st March 2014 at 11:53 pm

Sounds like a great new venture. I like the idea of running clubs from the venue. The owners sound like they want the venue to be part of the community. Note they say family friendly. It works in Macclesfield let's hope it does here too. Good luck to them.