Much-loved independent café to open second venue in Sheffield's £470m city centre development

One of Sheffield’s most popular cafés is branching out by opening a second site in the £470 million Heart of the City II scheme.
Tim Nye, with his wife Clare, TJ, Catherine and Will, outside the original Marmadukes on Norfolk Row. Picture: Marie CaleyTim Nye, with his wife Clare, TJ, Catherine and Will, outside the original Marmadukes on Norfolk Row. Picture: Marie Caley
Tim Nye, with his wife Clare, TJ, Catherine and Will, outside the original Marmadukes on Norfolk Row. Picture: Marie Caley

Marmadukes, which has traded on Norfolk Row in 2012, has taken a unit on the ground floor of Grosvenor House, underneath the new HSBC offices that were recently completed in a radically overhauled Charter Square. The venue, complete with outdoor terrace, will complement H&M-owned fashion stores Monki and Weekday which have already been confirmed as tenants in the development.

The original café will remain open for business as usual.

Marmadukes – which has a characterful logo featuring a drawing of a scarf-wearing bear riding a small bicycle – is consistently busy throughout the week. Staff use ingredients from local, sustainable and ethical suppliers – such as Our Cow Molly milk – to make fresh coffee, salads, sandwiches and baked goods in-house every day.

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The new 1,500 sq ft café will have a stronger focus on vegan and vegetarian food. The place is owned by retired police detective Tim Nye and his wife Clare.

“We are proud to call Sheffield our home and are excited to be playing a part in the Heart of the City II regeneration scheme,” said Tim. “It is a major development that will significantly transform this district of the city centre.

“We are a family-run business with a small but growing team. Our aim is to offer city centre visitors and weekday workers the best in British daytime food and drink. We are all incredibly passionate about what we do – something we believe is reflected in our café the moment you walk through our door.”

Heart of the City II, formerly known as the Sheffield Retail Quarter and the successor to the Sevenstone project which stalled during the recession, is led by Sheffield Council which is acting as the scheme’s developer. A mixed-use approach involving shops, offices, homes and more is being adopted, recognising the upheaval on the high street.

Tim Nye with his wife Clare, TJ, Catherine and Will, outside Marmadukes' new site. Picture: Marie CaleyTim Nye with his wife Clare, TJ, Catherine and Will, outside Marmadukes' new site. Picture: Marie Caley
Tim Nye with his wife Clare, TJ, Catherine and Will, outside Marmadukes' new site. Picture: Marie Caley
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Coun Mazher Iqbal, the council’s cabinet member for business and investment, said: “Marmadukes is one of Sheffield city centre’s best-loved independents, so we are delighted they are continuing to grow their business within the city centre.

“The plan for Heart of the City II is not just for the big banks and businesses but to give the scheme a beating heart of local energy. That is how we can say that the scheme is distinctively Sheffield and not like anywhere else. Businesses such as Marmadukes will complement some of the bigger chains in the city centre perfectly.”

Jocelyn Holmes, senior leasing manager at Queensberry, the council’s strategic development partner, said: “Marmadukes has a brilliant reputation locally for serving high-quality coffee and food in a stylish and stripped-back environment.

“Major companies and potential investors, such as HSBC, are all looking for something a little bit more bespoke from their surrounding offer these days. Having a café that is distinct to Sheffield, with a strong identity and focus on ethical ingredients, really appeals.”

More occupiers for Grosvenor House are ‘anticipated soon’, the council says. Construction is getting under way on two more blocks of Heart of the City II.