Former Malvern shoe shop transformed into new tapas bar

A taste of the Mediterranean is set to be served up in Malvern as a former shoe shop is transformed into a new tapas bar.

Bar Limón is to open in Church Street in the coming weeks and has already got interest of the local community, with residents already getting in touch to book tables.

The tapas bar is based at the former Clarks shoe shop after business owner Lucy Dunlop signed a five-year lease on the premises through leading property consultancy Fisher German, acting on behalf of a private client.

The unit gained strong interest from other potential tenants, demonstrating the confidence in both the retail and hospitality industry in the town.

Lucy was inspired to open the bar in Malvern after spending time living in Spain and South America.

Having lived in the town for eight years, she saw a gap in the market for a lively tapas bar and decided to launch a business of her own after being made redundant at the end of last year.

The bar and restaurant features indoor seating as well as a secret garden area at the back of the property where customers will be able to enjoy a range of tapas and drinks, including an extensive array of Spanish wines.

There will be live music from local musicians as well as a gallery space for local artists to display their work, and a total of 15 jobs have already been created by the venue.

Lucy said: “When living in Spain and South America I fell in love with Spanish food and have always wished there was a lively tapas bar in Malvern, so after being made redundant from a corporate role in senior management I decided to invest in launching my own.

“When I first began looking at properties, I didn’t think it would be possible to open a restaurant in a former retail premises, but the team at Fisher German as well as the local planning authority have been fantastic in showing me the potential of the property.

“It also has a beautiful south facing garden so we’ve even been able to include outdoor seating which has been amazing.

“It’s been excellent to work with a network of local builders and tradespeople on the project, and I’ve also had help from family and friends.

“It’s also been a real boost for the local economy as I’ve already created 15 jobs, with a mixture of full and part time positions.

“Our menu has been carefully thought out to cater for all dietary requirements and we also have a children’s menu and are dog friendly.

“We’ve had so much interest from the local community who have been asking us questions and even making bookings, and we now can’t wait to open our doors to the public.”

Lauren Allcoat, of Fisher German, said that there continues to be a rising confidence in the Malvern market as Covid restrictions are lifted.

She said: “Malvern is a thriving town, so we were able to use our expertise as well as our knowledge of the local market to demonstrate the huge potential of the unit, not only as a retail premises but also as a bar or restaurant.

“In the right areas there is still a large amount of demand for both retail and hospitality as Covid restrictions lift, and because of this we were able to attract a strong amount of interest from a range of potential tenants.

“Bar Limón will be a fantastic addition to the bars and restaurants in Malvern and we are sure that it will thrive in the town.

“We are now seeking other instructions in the area to help support property owners, businesses and the growth of the local economy.”