Meet some of the new Warrington Market traders

The purpose-built facility was due to open on June 15 but it was pushed back to July 6 as work to make it ‘Covid-19 secure’ continues.

The market forms a key part of the council’s £142.5 million town centre regeneration scheme Time Square.

It will feature a mezzanine floor, escalators, a spacious food court and an outdoor terrace.

One of the independent businesses preparing to open up in the new building is Two Brothers Coffee.

As well as selling coffee, it will also be moving its roasting operations from its Altrincham site to Warrington.

Sean Lyall, operations manager, says the business is delighted to be a part of the town centre's next chapter as the regeneration nears completion.

“We are really excited to move in,” he said.

Sean Lyall, operations manager at Two Brothers Coffee

“I have been there most days over the past two weeks, it is empty but it has got such a fantastic feeling about it.

“There is a lot of hype in the town around it.”

The store in Warrington will create three jobs, while talks have been taking place over setting up an app to allow people to place an order before collecting it.

The shop will have a seating area although the use of it will be put on hold for now because of the need to maintain social distancing.

READ MORE > The 52 traders moving into Warrington Market

Sean said: “We have moved our roasting operations from Altrincham to Warrington, so it’s not just a coffee shop we are setting up there, it’s also a coffee roastery.

“So all our coffee across both sites – and being sold online – is going to be roasted in Warrington Market.”

Bombay to Mumbai, which has a restaurant in Stockport, will also be taking up space in the market.

Co-founder Sandeep Gursahani, who was born in Bombay, and business partner Donya Bonyadi are relishing the opportunity to serve authentic Indian street food.

Sandeep Gursahani and Donya Bonyadi, who run Bombay to Mumbai

Sandeep said: “The council is doing its best to get it up and running as soon as possible.

“We do Indian street food and very typical household curries, here it will be more on the street food side.”

Sandeep said the menu will be compact and hopes his passion for cooking will win over residents.

Meanwhile, he took the opportunity to hail the Time Square scheme.

“I strongly believe in the project, the development is fantastic,” he said.

“It’s not only about the food market, it’s about the surrounding things that you have which will attract people.

“We thought about whether it is the right time to go into a business opening a new thing.

“I thought it might take a year maximum for things to get back to normal and after one year I am sure it will.

“Until that time, it is all about surviving and doing your best.

"People might be a bit worried to come out and people might take extra precautions but eventually things will settle down."

Furthermore, Mamar’s Bread and Cheese is also preparing to open up in the new market.

It will provide freshly baked bread and a selection of cheeses.

Founder Sonia Johnson said: “I was actually quite relieved when they delayed it to be honest as because I’m a new trader it has taken an awful lot longer to get everything set up than perhaps it would have done before all of this happened.

“As mine is new I am quite comfortable with a softer start and to build up from there.

“I am still waiting for a confirmation date for the installation of my oven.

“I have been a sole trader before but not for baking, I was a business and HR consultant – so it’s a complete shift for me.

“I’ve been to markets in other towns where it replicates this, so for me it feels like we are aligning ourselves more with some of the bigger towns and cities.

"I think we have been a bit behind the times with some of that to be honest."