AN EXCITING leisure complex which opened its doors in Sunderland just over a year ago is celebrating being fully let and creating more than 200 jobs.
Despite opening during the pandemic, STACK Seaburn has become a huge hit with its mix of street food offerings, lifestyle businesses and entertainment, with more than 700,000 people having visited.
And now all its 12 available units to let have been filled by independent businesses, following a carefully curated procedure to ensure that the right mix of traders took up residence.
Gemma Dishman, marketing and special projects manager for the Danieli Group which owns STACK, said the emphasis has always been on attracting the right kind of operators.
“It was very important to us from the outset that we attracted businesses for the external units that would not offer traditional retail products which are increasingly being purchased online,” said Gemma.
“Our focus has been on recruiting lifestyle businesses such as the barbershop and brow bar, or Woofs N Scruffs who complement their traditional retail offer of dog supplies with dog grooming and self-serve dog baths.
“We know that food will always bring people out of their homes, so we have also curated a wide variety of street food traders selling everything from Greek gyros to brownies, smoothies and posh Kebabs.”
One of the latest traders to join STACK Seaburn is TV MasterChef the Professional Matei Baran who has taken a double unit and opened POSHSTREETFOOD as a casual dine in restaurant, serving his unique posh Kebabs which are a fusion of fine dining and hearty street food.
Chef Matei, who reached the MasterChef quarter final in 2016 said: “These are complex dishes and we don’t cut corners, hence the name of the business. I’m proud of what we’re doing and couldn’t be more excited about coming to STACK Seaburn. I was convinced it was the perfect location the first time I visited.”
For some of the traders their unit at Stack Seaburn are an expansion of an existing business but for others it is their very first venture. Laura Benson is 19 and wanted to open her own brow bar rather than go to university. With the support of her parents and the team at STACK she has been able to make this dream a reality with her business, Arch.
“The small units and low rent at STACK have made this all possible,” said Laura.
“I have received so much support from the STACK team including marketing and business start-up advice. This gave me the confidence to make my business idea a reality and I now have a regular client base that continues to grow.”
Ross Laing started out as a barber over 20 years ago, but then his other passion for music took centre stage as he joined a band and played regular gigs all over the country for the last 5 years. Due to Covid and the many lockdowns which stopped all live music in 2020 he decided he wanted to return to barbering, but this time with his own shop.
“Not being able to travel or play in the band has been difficult but it gave me the opportunity to revisit my ambition of running my own barber shop. I’ve looked for premises before but not found the right space. After a visit to STACK for a night out, I knew this would be the perfect place to take the plunge and open my first business,” said Ross.
“I have been able to put my individual stamp on the unit, filling it with my personality and my love for music and so far, all of my customers have loved the space. Being able to pop in for a pint after a trim has also been a real bonus.”
Other lifestyle traders at STACK Seaburn include The Little Cakery by the Sea, So Smooth Co, Games Cabin and Woofs N Scruffs.
The flexible design of the complex means that it can easily be adapted to suit the needs of new traders and give customers a refreshed offer. New street food traders include Big Fat Indian Kitchen and Bao Down which have taken units on the upstairs plaza, offering everything from Chicken Tikka Naan Wraps to Katsu Prawn Bao Buns.
Danieli Group CEO, Neil Winch said: “STACK is a hub where independent businesses can prosper, and we do everything we can to drive footfall to the venue to ensure they all have the opportunity for success. We spend over £20k a month on free entertainment for our customers to keep bringing them back time and time again. We also support the traders with marketing through our social media channels, emailers and our big screens to help raise their profile.
“We’re delighted that all of this activity has helped grow their businesses and given the confidence to new traders to fill up all the available units.”
STACK is a major asset in the regeneration of Sunderland’s coastal area and has provided a much-needed boost to the leisure economy. It has increased employment opportunities locally having recruited over 100 staff to work directly at the venue alongside the 100 staff employed by the traders. The venue is attracting visitors from the wider region and with the Inn Collection hotel next door there is fantastic opportunity for Seaburn to become a popular seaside destination in the UK.
