St Christopher’s Place Secure UK’s First Outlet for Sensory Lab Speciality Coffee

March 29, 2011

On behalf of F&C REIT Asset Management and St Christopher’s Place, leisure leasing specialist Davis Coffer Lyons has secured a new lease at London’s St Christopher’s Place in the West End for the first outlet of Sensory Lab.

The coffee retailer enters the UK market as a joint partnership between Long Black Ltd, a supplier of speciality coffee in the UK market, and the Melbourne based ST ALi Group of companies.

The first Sensory Lab premises open in June 2010 at St Christopher’s Place and will form a high-end retail concession blending a sensory experience with take away superior quality coffee at affordable market prices. Sensory Lab will occupy 919 sq ft A1 premises set on Wigmore Street within the unique continental style environment of St Christopher’s Place, home to an eclectic mix of bars, restaurants and coffee shops.

Alice Keown, from Davis Coffer Lyons’ Development Leasing team, said: “This marks a truly exciting development in the world of coffee retailing and is a most welcome addition to one of London’s most vibrant dining quarters. The market has become over saturated with the same product and the concept of high quality coffee has been neglected in the quest for convenience. It reflects the growing sophistication of coffee consumers who now demand more than just their morning caffeine fix and essentially seeking to become connoisseurs of coffee.”

David Coffer Lyons’ Agency team also represented the vendor in the signing of a lease for Long Black’s ST ALi – the coffee roastery and restaurant. As part of the company’s drive to revolutionise the quality coffee sector, Melbourne’s coffee mecca will soon open at the former site of famous central London leisure venue Dust in Clerkenwell, EC1. The property, which was a formerly a Victorian Warehouse, has been taken via an assignment on a 20 year lease at £75,000 pa. The working roaster will form a centre piece, and will provide freshly prepared beans directly sourced from origin to suppliers, including the Sensory Lab. The venue holds a late licence to accommodate up to 80 patrons at its restaurant and live events.