The business already has venues dotted throughout the North West
The bakery was found inside St Johns Shopping Centre for many years (Image: Liverpool Echo/Colin Lane)
A new eatery has been confirmed as the latest addition to St John’s Shopping Centre. Signage has now gone up inside the complex, revealing that Roast will be opening beside Aldi.
The dining concept specialises in meals that are said to be “cooked to perfection”, according to the brand’s tagline. The business already has venues in Belle Vale, Birchwood, Birkenhead, Burnley and Preston. However, this will be the company’s first trip to Liverpool’s city centre.
On the menu, you will find breakfast options such as £1.75 sausage barm or 50p black pudding, as well as a handful of baguette choices, including Philly cheese steak and pulled pork. Rounding up the offerings is also salt and pepper chicken chunks, sui mai, hot wings, rotisserie gammon and park.
The opening date, as of yet, remains unknown but St Johns Shopping Centre director Neil Ashcroft told the ECHO: “We’re excited to welcome ROAST to St Johns Shopping Centre, a brand that knows exactly what our shoppers want.
Roast is opening in the shopping centre beside Aldi
“They don’t do soggy sandwiches or boring meal deals, they do proper food to go – fresh, full of flavour, and great value.
“Whether you’ve smashed a session at the gym, are grabbing lunch mid-shop, or heading back to the car park after work, ROAST delivers the kind of hearty, feel-good food that hits the spot every time. It’s bold, it’s fun, and it’s a perfect fit for St Johns.”
The weights area in the new XF Gym in St. Johns Shopping Centre
The new addition comes just over a month after XF Gym opened its doors in the centre. Taking over the former Wilko space, the 30,000 fitness hub features an open-plan workout zone, a women-only space, as well as a variety of fitness classes in its group exercise studios, including yoga, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), boxing, dance, and cycling, along with changing facilities.
The space also has its own shop selling the likes of protein and creatine, a smoothie bar and a dedicated Hyrox zone.
Neil Ashcroft added: “With an unbeatable location, over one million visitors per month and a broad mix of retailers and leisure offerings, St Johns Shopping Centre is the perfect home for growing, innovative businesses like XF Gym.
“We share their sense of community, and I am sure Liverpool’s residents, shoppers and workers will love the new gym experience they offer.”
The space where Millie’s Cookies used to be found
However, the space previously occupied by Millie’s Cookies is still yet to be filled. The bakery first had a store in Clayton Square, and many people remember buying sweet treats after hopping off the train at Liverpool Central or Lime Street.
However, this store closed more than a decade ago. The unit inside St Johns opened in 2016.
It sold more than just cookies, offering customers muffins, ice cream and made-to-order cupcakes. They also had a wedding range – for those wanting to ditch the traditional cake, offering cookie cupcakes and even wedding favours. It shut earlier this year without a word.