WHITE RABBIT CHOCOLATIERS ANNOUNCES SECOND STORE IN HULL CITY CENTRE
Popular artisan chocolate shop and café, White Rabbit
Chocolatiers, is to open a second outlet in Hull’s Paragon Arcade later this
week.
Part of a major re-development of the historic arcade
being undertaken by the Allenby Commercial Ltd property development company, the
shop will eventually feature a unique ‘Hull blend’ of delicious chocolate
treats.
The family team also have plans to add a micro kitchen,
desserterie and workshop space – serving hot chocolates and chocolate desserts
and hosting social events – in the new year.
And they are recruiting for their ambitious new venture,
looking for a new Paragon Store Manager to join the two additional members of
staff they have already employed for the shop.
This marks the latest leg of an ongoing expansion for the
business, which was originally established 14 years ago by former teacher Sally
Hawkes and is now run by her son Ed Hawkes and daughter Amy Fenner. Two years ago,
they added a chocolate café to their main Beverley shop, in the town’s Dyer
Lane, and have seen trade build dramatically ever since.
Managing Director Ed Hawkes said: “Opening the Beverley
café was the natural next step for us in the town. It was a brave move but
we’ve been overwhelmed by how popular it’s become, with people travelling from
across Yorkshire and beyond to visit us.
“As a result, we’ve been hoping to build on this demand for
a while by opening another outlet, but wanted to wait until we found the
perfect venue.
“When we were approached by the Allenby Commercial team
about their plans for Paragon Arcade, we knew straightaway that this was it.”
The new White Rabbit outlet will be in Unit 6 of Paragon
Arcade, next door to Two Gingers Coffee House,
and will offer their popular range of exquisite chocolates with plans to add a
unique Hull blend to the mix in 2019. The site is currently undergoing a
makeover to transform it into everyone’s vision of a magical chocolate shop
ready for the Christmas build-up, in true White Rabbit style.
“The arcade is going to have all the magic of a Victorian
shopping street, it will look beautiful and it’s the perfect home for us,”
added Ed.
“We’re very excited about the move and planning to make
it look very festive as you’d expect from a traditional chocolate shop in the
run-up to Christmas.”
Their aspiration is to eventually produce much of the
Hull shop’s chocolate on site, in authentic, traditional chocolatier-style.
The shop will open its doors on Thursday 8 November, with
an official opening event on Friday 17 November, featuring entertainment,
giveaways, chocolate tasting and discount. Anyone visiting the store should
quote Whiterabbit2 to enjoy their special 10 per cent off until 30 November.
Charlie Allenby, Allenby Commercial’s Contracts Manager,
said: “As soon as we acquired Paragon Arcade in 2017 we embarked on a programme
of improvements including a major renovation scheme and seven-days-a-week
opening, and that continues.
“A priority was to open up the first floor, much of which
had not been used for years, and White Rabbit has joined other recent arrivals
Marla’s Deli and 80 Days Bier Markt in making the most of that.
“Occupancy is at 80 per cent and only the units
undergoing refurbishment are vacant. They will become available in a few months
and are already attracting interest. At a time when we are seeing almost daily
reports of the pressures facing major retailers we are working hard to promote
independent businesses which have character and creativity and want to work in
an environment which is collaborative rather than competitive.”
White Rabbit Chocolatiers are on a mission to put East Yorkshire on the map for culinary excellence, and have won no less than 17 Great Taste Awards for their truffles and hot drinks, including a Great Taste Top 50 Foods Award in 2014, and two awards from the Academy of Chocolate. Their blackcurrant and juniper truffle earned them a prestigious 3 Star Great Taste Award and Golden Fork nomination in 2014 and continues to be their most popular flavour. They also boast a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.
Founder, Master Chocolatier Sally, trained at some of the
most prestigious chocolate houses in the world to perfect her craft, including
the Valrhona School in Burgundy, Westminster College in London and an
internship at Vancouver’s Ecole Chocolat. Amy, who is gifted with a very
sensitive palate, is carrying on that mantel, ably helped by talented team
members like second Master Chocolatier Kathy Bates, who specialises in the
decoration and colour work which make White Rabbit’s chocolate creations look
so distinctive and beautiful.
The family’s culinary inspiration stems from their
idyllic rural past as part of a Northern Irish farming family.
A family business with a 30-year heritage, Allenby
Commercial has worked on a range of high-quality developments across the Yorkshire
and Humber region.
The company’s reputation as one of the region’s most
trusted and innovative developers was reinforced by the acquisition of Danish
Buildings, an historic property in the Old Town which includes the listed
Bayles House and is being converted to provide office, studio and workshop
space for young and old creatives.
Other projects completed in recent years include the
conversion of a former brewery to create The Maltings office development,
rebuilding a Georgian property in Alfred Gelder Street to house Allenby’s own
business and turning vacant units alongside Hull Minster into Hideout Apartment
Hotel. Allenby Commercial is also modernising WORX in Beverley Road, Hull, and
has welcomed new tenants including Mad Volume Climbing Springboard Nursery,
Planet Gym and ARCO, the UK’s leading safety company.
ENDS
Photo: White
Rabbit brother-and-sister team, MD Ed Hawkes and Head Chocolatier Amy Fenner
For further details, or to arrange media interviews and photographs,
contact Tracy Fletcher at By Tracy Fletcher Limited PR via tracy@bytracyfletcher.com or 07983 633385