A Fife couple who run a deli and a grocery store are to combine the two in a new location – complete with a cafe.
Eleanor Whitby and Ed Murdoch run The Urban Grocery and Fig & Fromage at separate locations on High Street in Newport.
Now they have found a permanent home for their businesses at number 18 – in the former Vital Hike office building.
They plan to move in, keeping the Fig & Fromage name, in the next three weeks.
Eleanor told The Courier: “The opportunity came up because the staff (at Vital Hike) wanted to work from home and it doesn’t make sense for a lot of businesses to have an office anymore.
Couple in ‘sensible mode’ by combining Newport deli and grocery store with cafe
“We are bringing everything into sensible mode for us.
“It’s an opportunity to make it work better.
“The new space has been a cafe before but I haven’t been able to find out when – I am sure people will come and tell us.
“I love that social history.
“There is writing on the outside of the building with an old cafe menu.
“We won’t cover it, if anything we will make it brighter and get someone in to repaint it as it is.
“We are hoping to be open three weeks from now, in time for the Christmas light switch-on in November when everyone gets involved.”
Fig & Fromage, which opened during the pandemic, will operate until Christmas as a hamper and wreath-making workshop space.
Meanwhile, The Urban Grocery is set to become Mojo Interiors and Homeware after Eleanor and Ed move out.
Eleanor added: “We are hoping for a good Christmas once we have settled in and we want this move to be permanent, that is what we are really hoping for.
“I think small high streets are thriving and I am going to do my damnedest to keep this one thriving.
“Whatever we are doing here in Newport, we have got it right.
Plans to fill ‘gap’ in Newport’s retail offering
“I don’t find myself going out of Newport much, you don’t need to – you’ve got The Newport Bakery and Boat Brae and other places.
“We are filling that gap in the middle.”
The new shop will have a separate cafe area, with about 20 covers, which can be closed off for private events.
It will also have an off-sales license for alcohol, like the Urban Grocery, and stock will include fruit and vegetables as well as cheese and other deli items.
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