The Crescent completes at Metrocentre with local hit Café Filto as anchor

The Metrocentre Partnership has announced that the extensive refurbishment works for The Crescent at Metrocentre have completed, with local favourite, Café Filto, set to anchor the central kiosk space at the heart of the scheme.

The Crescent, deriving its name from the curved design of its shopfronts, comprises 11 individual retail units, specifically designed for local and independent businesses to trial retailing at Metrocentre. The units have been extensively refurbished and are offered ready for tenants to add their finishing touches. With 60 percent of the units already under offer, the completion of the works has paved the way for new independent brands to start trading within the North East powerhouse this Summer.

Opening later this month, Café Filto will offer customers a place to relax and enjoy the brand’s signature coffee cans, alongside its popular tasting flights. The menu will feature new summer specials, including the Mango Sticky Rice Matcha and Chocolate Banana Bread Latte, as well as a wide selection of hot and cold beverages, signature açai bowls, cakes, sandwiches, and light snacks. Café Filto has already established a strong presence across the region, tapping into the growing popularity of matcha while helping introduce the trend to a wider, younger audience.

The investment into The Crescent delivers an engaging environment across 10,000 sq ft, designed to showcase independent brands from the North East and beyond, offering small businesses a distinctive opportunity to operate alongside global retail giants such as Zara, Hollister, and Sephora, as well as Bershka and Lefties, both set to join later this year.

Noah Knapton, Asset Manager at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, Asset Managers of Metrocentre, said: “The Crescent is an important evolution of the offer at Metrocentre. To be launching with Café Filto as the scheme’s inaugural tenant brings our vision for the space to life, setting the tone for what’s to come. Independent retail is something we really value, and The Crescent, alongside The Village located in Upper Blue Mall, are all about supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs and providing them with a platform to trade amongst the best of the best, in a safe, welcoming, and vibrant environment that leads the way for the North East.”

Dominic Johnson, Owner of Filto, added: “The vision for The Crescent really resonates with us, and we see Café Filto as a natural fit for the space. Being positioned at the heart of this new hub gives us a great opportunity to connect with an expansive mix of people throughout the day, while creating a relaxed space where customers can pause, meet and linger. Being an independent operator ourselves, it is fantastic to be able to sit alongside like-minded brands that align with our long-term goals and ambitions.”

The Crescent underscores Metrocentre’s position as a prime and highly coveted retail destination in the North East, and reflects continued confidence in the centre as a platform for brands’ long-termgrowth and success.