Expansion plans by a popular Inverness city centre café and bakery have been given the green light.
XOKO Bakehouse on Bridge Street, which has won many fans with its mix of baked goods, lunches and speciality drinks, lodged a planning application back in October to expand into a second premises immediately above it in Castle Wynd.
Owners Fernando Basaldua Bazaldua and Tristan Aitchison said that the addition of the vacant unit in Castle Wynd would enable them to cope with demand and make changes to give customers the “best possible experience”, while also providing a “quality and comfortable working environment for our team”.
Under the plans the existing unit on Castle Wynd will have its offices stripped out and the open space then fitted with a large kitchen (and associated freezers, storage, washing and office areas), a large front of house area where the customer seating would be located, and nine new separate one-person toilets with individual wash basins.
The large kitchen is part of XOKO’s plans to initially create a purpose-built open-plan bakery and production kitchen within the unit.
There would also be a community room as part of XOKO’s promise to have a designated community room and exhibition wall.
And council planners have now given those proposals the go ahead after granting permission under delegated powers..
Speaking to the Courier when news of the plans first emerged, Tristan said: “XOKO began three years ago. We opened with a selection of sourdough, pastries and two menu items. Our philosophy was and continues to be, to make everything with the best ingredients and from scratch.
“We are now licensed and offer an extensive breakfast, brunch and lunch menu, a large selection of patisserie and viennoiserie, and operate long opening hours.
The unit where the bakehouse will expand, which is located immediately above XOKO’s Bridge Street café.
“We produce everything from a small kitchen/bakery that was designed for making bread and pastries.
“Our home on Bridge Street can get extremely busy and we have used up every inch of space available.
“It has become apparent that to give the best possible experience to our customers and provide a quality and comfortable working environment for our team, we have to make changes.”
Tristan added: “XOKO on Bridge Street will stay XOKO but will be remodelled to create a more comfortable and free-flowing venue for our amazing customers.
“We will continue to serve-up all your favourite pastries, coffees, breakfasts and lunches in a warm, friendly and inclusive environment.
“We are excited to bring a forgotten and overlooked area of the city back to life, with what will be a vibrant and creative urban space.”
Council planners noted that their way no objections from the council’s environmental health or historic environment teams, or from Scottish Water.
Granting permission, council officers said: “This proposal is for detailed planning permission to change the use of a unit on the upper deck of Bridge Street from Class 4 (business) use to Class 3 (food and drink). There are no proposed changes to the external appearance of the building. Internally, around half the building is taken up with kitchen related space and with the exception of an office and Community Room, the remainder is public space for tables and chairs.”
They added: “The surrounding area is a mixture of retail, cafés and restaurants, tourist accommodation and residential accommodation. Given the applicant has confirmed that there are no proposed changes to the external appearance of the unit, there is no change to the impact on the Conservation Area, so the proposal would comply with the Development Plan.
“It is considered that the proposal accords with the principles and policies contained within the Development Plan and is acceptable in terms of all other applicable material considerations.”
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