St. Pancras International is rolling out plans to develop its already-extensive food and beverage offering, as it welcomes four new permanent retail outlets to its roster of exemplary brands in the station. The development marks the most significant food and beverage expansion in the Grade 1 Listed building ahead of major international sporting events in Paris this summer.
As part of the station’s capital expansion plans, confirmed new openings at St. Pancras consist of popular brands including: Blank Street, Bread & Truffle, Shake Shack and The Breakfast Club. These new doors mark the first time any of these brands have set-up-shop in a UK railway location as more brands consider high-footfall transport locations. To further enhance the destination experience for St. Pancras passengers, these new permanent additions to the station’s premium roster of restaurants and retailers will diversify the food and beverage offering available at St. Pancras, facilitating the enjoyment of even more coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and beverages all under one roof.
The major international railway hub is reacting to demand from customers for a wider variety of dine in and take away food and beverage options, particularly answering calls for an increased breakfast offering. Market intelligence agency Mintel have reported a significant rise in breakfast and brunch occasions nationwide, noting a 6% surge in breakfast dining out experiences in only 2 years (from 29% in 2021 to 35% in 2023), while levels of customers dining out for lunch, dinner, and snacks remained constant – demonstrating a macro trend of increasing consumer appetite to dine out across the country, propelled by breakfast specifically.
Longer dwell times (now averaging 45 minutes) have also contributed toward demand, resulting from a growing number of domestic and international leisure customers, as well as a return to offices for commuters, with St. Pancras servicing the Kings Cross area – host to numerous large office complexes from the likes of Google, Havas, and Universal. And with travel trend experts predicting that train stations will become essential food destinations in 2024 as visitors seek more local experiences, St. Pancras is demonstrating the reality of this trend by evolving in response to its customer base and curating a more dynamic experience for visitors.
Wendy Spinks, commercial director at St. Pancras and HS1 Ltd said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming four new brands to our portfolio of food and beverage offerings and are thrilled that each has chosen St. Pancras as their first railway location. As part of our commitment to continue providing an elevated customer experience, we are offering greater choice and see the foodie experience part of the joys that comes with travelling by train for our domestic and international customers. Ahead of major international sporting events in Paris this summer, it’s a good time to introduce new brands and provide greater capacity for customers.”
Additionally, further developments in the station include the implementation of a new digital wayfinding solution to compliment the new F&B outlets. With countless dining establishments, retail outlets, rail operators and underground access routes all housed under one roof, the digital map provides users with real-time guidance to their desired destinations. The map will also facilitate seamless navigation ahead of major international sporting events in Paris this Summer – with St. Pancras acting as a key gateway to reach the action. Visitors hoping to use the Eurostar from St. Pancras can take comfort in the fact that takeaway food & beverages can be taken through security, since the station has no liquid limitations when passing through international departures.
Who’s opening:
Blank Street – Located next to the Eurostar Arrivals on Lower Ground Floor of the Arcade, this brand launched in St Pancras in February. Blank Street is on a mission to challenge what it means to be a coffee chain today, serving high quality products in beautiful, modern spaces. Blank Street sells a range of delicious products including blueberry matcha and shaken brown sugar cold brew.
Bread & Truffle – Carb lovers rejoice; everything at Bread & Truffle is baked in focaccia format, made with the finest premium ingredients! Since opening in March, the brand has offered a number of breakfast choices for hungry morning commuters, as well as a large range of freshly made focaccia sandwiches for a savoury lunch, and even a Nutella focaccia for shoppers with a sweet tooth – there are plenty of tasty options for visitors to choose from.
Shake Shack – Travellers looking for made-to-order burgers or hand-spun shakes will be pleased to hear that Shake Shack will be pulling into St. Pancras in the early Summer. Located in The Circle area, the Shack will be the top pick for quick bites throughout the day, serving up delicious options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner – perfect for travellers on the move.
The Breakfast Club – Opening in early Summer, The Breakfast Club is also coming to St. Pancras, located along the Lower Ground Floor of the Arcade. With all-day-dining and a full bar offer, the 3,660 square foot location will be managed by leading travel food and beverage operator SSP and host 156 covers and significantly enhance the breakfast offering. A glorious train travel inspired design curates the perfect spot for meeting friends, family, or colleagues within a lively and fun atmosphere, all set to a nostalgic, rollercoaster soundtrack.
