New town centre cafe will change the face of Wigan
A new cafe, which will occupy the former WHSmith unit, is set to change the face of Wigan town centre.
Pictures have emerged of works taking place on the exterior of the building on Standishgate with many saying that the iconic retail corner has disappeared.
The familiar building was first occupied by Woolworths in 1925 after the company acquired the site and demolished the Royal Hotel which had been the store’s home the previous year.
The department store closed and WHSmith then occupied the space for decades and later formed part of the Grand Arcade.
WHSmith closed its doors in 2021 and the premises have largely remained vacant since apart from being briefly used as a pop-up shop and Wigan Casino exhibition.
Now, The Coffee House has acquired the building and hopes to open later this month.
It will be the second of the franchise to open in the borough with one already open in the Spinning Gate shopping centre in Leigh.
A spokesperson for the business said: “Opening our first store in the beautiful village of Lymm, Cheshire, we quickly became a busy daytime eatery, serving the local community a wide range of specialty coffee, chilled drinks, homemade cakes, and food.
"Fast forward 14 years, and we are preparing to celebrate our 31st store opening in Wigan with more to come. Armed with a clear vision – ‘to be recognised as the leading coffee operator in England’ – we press forward with new ideas for products, store design, and team development.
"As we grow, we remain a wholly independent business, grounded with the same values and determination as the day we first opened.
"Harmonious in our work ethics, our ambitious growth will not compromise on quality in any aspect of the business, all in pursuit of long-term perfection.”
The Coffee House is one of four businesses coming to the Grand Arcade.
Grand News will take over the kiosk that previously connected WHSmith to the Grand Arcade and will be selling “news and magazines, soft drinks, confectionery, American candy, lottery and all your everyday needs.”.
Family-owned independent opticians The Glasses Club has opened in the unit previously occupied by The Body Shop.
And a new discounted men’s and ladies fashion outlet Edge Clothing is in the process of opening in the former Leading Labels store.