A harbourside site that used to be popular cafe chain Friska is to reopen as a new Costa. The coffee chain was previously housed on Cathedral Walk in the unit next door but moved out after Brewdog took over the premises last summer.
With sites across the Bristol area, Friska had been a popular business since 2009, when it opened its first store on Victoria Street. It was founded by ex-Bath University economics graduates Griff Holland and Ed Brown, who came up with their ‘healthy fast food’ concept’. At one point, they had eight stores in Bristol, three cafés in Manchester and a 24/7 operation at Luton Airport.
The chain suddenly shut closed its doors after it collapsed into administration in 2021. At the time, administrators, Mazars said that Friska had been implementing a strategy of growth prior to the pandemic but struggled after it was forced to close during the lockdown. It added that the general reduction in footfall, with office employees working from home, had also hit the business.
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While Friska retained two sites, rebranded as Double Puc. Its branches in Cathedral Walk, Prince Street, Victoria Street, Park Street and Emersons Green were sold to a firm called Renroc.
Last summer, Brewdog took over the site next door from previous occupant Costa launching a huge new bar with 30 taps.
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