Inner Market "buzzing and lively" once again

Thursday 26 September 2019

Guernsey's first purely vegetarian and vegan cafe has been received well so far, as work to bring a new lease of life to St Peter Port's Market Buildings continues.

SimplyV opened in the Inner Market on Monday and has already been busier than expected, with lots of good feedback from satisfied customers.

"There's already a lot of eateries in the Marketplace, so it's trying to do something different," explained Owner Richard Griffin. "I noticed a gap in the marketplace for a purely vegan and vegetarian place where even the kitchen has no meat products.

"Everything is freshly made, all the vegetables are spiralized daily, all the patties are made daily, pretty much everything is made fresh on the day."

Pictured: SimplyV's lunch menu.

The outlet offers plant-based breakfasts, lunches, drinks and snacks, and is the first of its kind in the island.

"We've had good feedback and we've had customers back two or three times a day, even to get a turmeric latte or a matcha coffee," said Mr Griffin. "We also have people who eat meat, who are not vegetarian, coming here and buying a SimplyV Rainbow Super Salad or a Mexican Burrito Wrap."

The cafe is promoting a discount for those who bring their own reusable cups, as well as bowls and plates.

"We buy from the Guernsey Weigh so we are supporting local businesses," Mr Griffin added. "We take our own containers there and buy our grains and pulses."

The new outlet is part of plans to revive the Inner Market, which has seen a lot of change over recent months with redevelopment and the opening of the island's first plastic-free store.

Pictured: Richard Griffin and Sonia Taylor outside SimplyV.

"We're really pleased that [SimplyV] is here," said Director of Bailiwick Estates - which manages the building - Sonia Taylor. "We think the time is right for a vegan/vegetarian offering. Obviously this location/layout/atmosphere is a great place for it to be. It sits nicely alongside the ethos of the Guernsey Weigh and we're really pleased that Richard's taken it on.

"Since it's opened it's been really busy. It's great to see the Inner Street buzzing and lively and we hope for a good future."

Works to rejuvenate the Market are continuing though, with further improvements in the pipeline.

"We're adding more seating and things like that, so it's a work in progress but it's got off to a flying start," added Ms Taylor. "We've got quite a few exhibitions lined up for the gallery, which will create footfall. We've finally got the old HMV store empty and ready for decoration - we're actively looking for retail tenants for there.

"We're really hopeful that this building will continue to be the place in Town to head to - the heart of Town."

More information on SimplyV can be found on its website.