A Day in Saint Leonards-on-Sea
We visited seven businesses and had a five star time at all of them. Everyone is welcoming and at the top of their game.
This list is just the tip of the iceberg, St Leonards has so much to offer, we’ll be back soon!
This map shows the seven businesses that we visited in RyeZine issue 4, plus the two mentioned in RyeZine issue 3.
No. 1 - Maker+Baker 51 Kings Road, TN37 6DY
No. 2 - Milk + Hustle 45B London Road TN37 6AY
No. 3 - Shop 32-34 Norman Road TN38 0EJ
No. 4 - Collected Fictions 6-8 London Road TN37 6AE
No. 5 - Big Yin Gallery 1 London Road TN37 6AE
No. 6 - Half Man! Half Burger! 7 Marine Ct. TN38 0DX
No. 7 - Starsky & Hatch Lower Promenade TN37 6FD
Ross from Maker+Baker, 51 Kings Road, TN37 6DY
No. 1
Maker+Baker when Ross prentice offered to make a few loaves for St Leonards café Sugar Pie Honey Buns at the end of 2019, he never imagined he’d soon be opening his own successful bakery.
As word spread, pop-ups in local retailers Shop and Three Faces of Del Parc helped meet the growing demand for his products. Then the pandemic struck. Ross posted on Instagram to see if there was interest in a delivery service and there was. Deliveries ran throughout the first two lockdowns, but it was clear that the business needed its own premises and by October 2020 the Maker+Baker shop had opened on Kings Road.
Specialising in sourdough and viennoiserie, the micro-bakery has quickly gained a loyal following in St Leonards and beyond. Ross puts its success down to attention to detail and never compromising on quality.
“Everything is made by hand in our garden bakery just a few minutes away,” he says. “We use a natural leaven (no rising agents here!) fed daily which gives our bread its unique flavour. Nutrition is important to us so we use organic flours from Wild Farmed, Stoates and Shipton Mill. One of the most popular loaves is our Danish Rugbrød packed full of sunflower, pumpkin and flax seeds.”
There’s room for indulgence too, though: one of the biggest hits is the baked vanilla cheesecake, available on Saturdays – if you can get there early enough! Pastries are made from scratch every day the shop is open, and include croissants, crioche and danishes filled with homemade creme patissiere and local fresh fruit.
Coffee comes from specialist roastery The Gentlemen Baristas and the shop stocks a range of UK-made preserves and cultured butter, which are also used in the bakes.
“We love what we do and are always working on new products and techniques to bring our customers the best,” says Ross. “Artisan baking is an amazing community and we’ve made so many friends – fellow bakers, suppliers and customers – since we started. The support is truly fantastic and we don’t take it for granted for one second.”
Maker+Baker
Organic Sourdough Micro-bakery
51 Kings Road, TN37 6DY
Wed-Sat 08.30-14.00
makerandbakeruk
David and Nikki on the doorstep of Milk + Hustle, 45B London Road, TN37 6AY
No.2
Milk + Hustle is so much more than a coffee shop. When we, Nikki and David, opened the doors back in September 2020, we wanted to create a community hub. In this welcoming space people can get coffee, browse our printed goods and shop a selection of carefully curated products surrounded by good vibes.
Nikki. We design all of the cards and art we sell, some of the jewellery, and a selection of bespoke products, including notebooks, tea towels, candles and tote bags. We love being able to create and add new products to the shop inspired by our love of the sea, great design, and the perfectly placed swear word!
We sell a selection of goods predominantly produced by UK-based, female-owned businesses alongside our own collections. It’s important to us to only work with makers we love, creating beautiful products produced responsibly and ethically.
And then there’s the coffee, which we take very seriously. We serve Climpson & Sons speciality coffee, the best on the market not only for their taste and flavour but also for their ethical, sustainable and environmental approach.
Just a straight-up banging cup of coffee full of flavour and heart.
This summer, we plan to feature more local artists in our Two Frames exhibition, offer live music evenings and restart our Let’s Meet coffee mornings.
Since opening a year and a half ago, we’ve met many amazing people. Locals have become friends, friends have become family, there is a real community spirit that is very hard to put into words. St Leonards is a unique and special place that we feel very fortunate to be a part of.
Milk + Hustle
Coffee, Art + Stuff
45B London Road, TN37 6AY
Mon-Sat 8:00-14:00 / Sun Closed as hell
www.milkandhustle.co.uk
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Helen and Holly on the doorstep of SHOP, 32-34 Norman Road, TN38 0EJ
No.3
Shop Norman Road Helen Robinson and Holly. Mother and Daughter. Home, Food & Wine.
Holly. Back in 2011 St Leonards-on-sea was a very different place to what it is today. There was a growing sense of community, but no shops offering what we liked or wanted. Even though everyone was forecasting the end of the high street my mother and I decided to pool our experience to fill the void.
SHOP was born, a store to serve St Leonards needs as well as our own. It became the catalyst for a community of small independent shops, restaurants, galleries and businesses which now make the area so cool and vibrant.
We have created an enjoyable, warm and friendly atmosphere that customers love to return to and browse our ever-changing range of goods from all over the world. We enjoy meeting our customers which is one of the reasons we have resisted a website.
Our SHOP is an emporium of the cool stuff we love, from candles and bars of scented French soap to Moroccan rugs. Furniture, lighting, cushions and throws. Kitchenware. Reading and sunglasses. The best greeting cards. Great selection of tasty global foods and tempting chocolate. We even have a small collection of unique women’s clothing. Stock goes quick, if you like it buy it, we can’t always get it again!
Mark Plummer in The Wine Room can help you choose from his selection of the finest wines you’ll find anywhere in the South East.
SHOP
32-34 Norman Road, TN38 0EJ
Wed-Sat 10:00-17:00 / Sun 11:00 - 14:00
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Eliot on the doorstep of Collected Fictions, 6-8 London Road, St Leonards, TN37 6AE
No.4
Collected Fictions natural wine and craft beer bottle shop and bar has had its doors open for about a year now.
It’s an open space that holds an ever changing curation of independent craft beer and cider, and natural wine from small makers making vibrant terroir driven wine with sustainability in mind. We have welcomed the vibrant community of St Leonards in, and in return been so humbled and inspired by the kind and creative people that call this place home.
Eliot. I’ve had a dream for a long time to own my own space. I’ve always been moved by spaces that inspire, make me feel at ease, relaxed and it’s really what we wanted to do here. It was important to us that whether you are a craft beer geek, natural wine enthusiast or just thirsty and curious, Collected Fictions was first and foremost a place that made you feel welcome. We try our best to make the experience of coming in as inclusive as possible, offering a curated selection, expert knowledge and friendly service.
I’m passionate about craft beer and natural wine. I love sharing the stories behind the wines, connecting people to the processes and people that made them and marrying that up with the flavours you taste. As much as wine and beer is technical there is also a lot of creativity and poetry and sharing this is a powerful thing and expressing that together with people is one of life’s best pleasures!
We have four taps with a rotating menu of independent craft beer available to drink in or takeaway in 1L refillable growlers, and menu of wines by the glass and fridges and shelves full of bottles and cans to take home.
Whether people are hunting for something in particular or keen to try something new, stepping into Collected Fictions means we’ll be able to chat about finding the perfect bottle for that party, or suggest something fresh to sip in house by the glass.
The drinking room launched in the Autumn 2021 and since then we’ve enjoyed hosting folk in house, seeing how people use it to meet up, connect and make new friends. We realise this community is unique for its pursuit of delicious things, but also wildly talented. The amount of artists this town houses is truly beautiful. We’ve had the pleasure of connecting with quite a few creatives and helping realise another long term dream of mine, to fill the space with art. We have a monthly programme of exhibitions featuring local artists, being trusted to house these works has been a huge privilege and being able to help collaborate on some has been something I never dreamed would happen in our first year.
So if you fancy stopping by a space that promises not to be stuffy, features local work and has a curation of delicious drinks, stop on by we’d love to have you.
Craft Beer, Natural Wine, Bottleshop and Bar
6-8 London Road, St Leonards, TN37 6AE
Wed - Sat 11:00-21:00 | Sun 13:00-21:00
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Euan in the Big Yin Gallery doorstep, 1 London Road, TN37 6AE
No.5
Big Yin Gallery opened its doors in August 2021, a stone’s throw from the beach in St Leonards. Set up by artist Euan Roberts and his partner film and TV producer Ruth Spencer.
The gallery’s objective was to rebel against the stifling, uptight, and exclusive art world. Instead offering a place for artists from diverse backgrounds to show work, welcoming visitors from all walks of life.
Big Yin Gallery is a proudly black-owned and artist-led gallery that shows works by a mix of local professionals, alongside those from further afield, including the colourful and joyous creations by artist-owner Euan. They have recently had gallery manager Beth Parkinson join the team.
Moving to St Leonards in February 2020, it was events of that year including the pandemic and resurgence of the BLM movement that helped inspire Euan and Ruth’s decision to open a gallery and celebrate art, creative freedom, and self-expression in the aftermath of some very divisive and difficult times.
The name Big Yin, which is shared by the comedian Billy Connolly, refers to Euan’s Scottish heritage. With ‘Yin’ being scots dialect for number one (the gallery address is 1 London Road). It also references the ‘Yin’ part of the Chinese philosophical dualism ‘Yin and Yang’. Yin is seen as the feminine energy, and that of creativity which are elements the gallery tries to incorporate.
“We want to be the antidote to the exclusive and unwelcoming elitist galleries that exist. Big Yin is a place where all visitors are made to feel at home and experience art in a friendly, relaxing environment. We also want to show that you don’t have to travel to London to see some of the most exciting early-career artists in the UK, they are right here!”
Euan Roberts
With new shows opening each month and a rotating roster of artists, working across different media Big Yin Gallery is fast becoming a must-see spot in St Leonards.
Big Yin Gallery
1 London Road, TN37 6AE
Sat 11:00-17:00 and by appointment
www.bigyingallery.com
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Rory and Matt outside their St Leonard’s Half Man! Half Burger! restaurant, 7 Marine Court, TN38 0DX
No.6
Half Man! Half Burger!
Rory. Half Man! Half Burger! has already been an epic journey for us. I met Matt on the music scene in Brighton, and both ended up working in London getting a taste for the early better burger revolution. Music has been part of our DNA all along and informed many decisions. A long-time obsessive with burgers, I had been searching out burgers worldwide in London, New York and Berlin’s White Trash bar among many others for years. Growing up in Ireland, spending time as a kid on family farms, I had a good sense of what real fresh beef was all about. Matt was the obvious choice for a patty partner; he had a strong vegetarian sense, and makes the meanest fries, being half-American himself. We set up in late 2013 in Brighton at The Marlborough Pub. We found support fast locally and were persuaded to move to the slightly more upmarket, Artists Residence Hotel. Matt was living in Brighton and I was commuting over from Hastings with brioche buns, patties, and smokestack sauce on the train! I had recently landed in Hastings via Stoke Newington. Brighton had its charm but we were both looking for that special little burger spot - an affordable start-up.
We found it in 2014 at Marine Court, St Leonards. An ex-Indian joint in need of much love. We opened up after encouraging words from Chris and Phil at the St Leonard pub, and we opened in July 2015. Packed from the beginning, and many say, a genuine catalyst for the entire area. People were hungry for local change and burgers. In 2016 we opened in Eastbourne buoyed by success. We rocked Glastonbury by the John Peel stage every year and welcomed so many awesome new businesses to St Leonards.
In 2018 a fire struck in Eastbourne, so we slowed down to assess things. We looked at a lot of sites in Brighton, considering our move. When Covid struck we opened The Yard, Hastings, a 100-seater indoor/outdoor converted stable block surrounded by artist studios. This has been incredibly well-received by all local people – a gem in an unexpected location.
Whatever we do and whatever places we look to it all comes down to that explosive success in St Leonards where people queued every weekend. A tiny 450 square foot site, with some legendary chefs led by Sam Beech, helped make it happen. Sam worked with us to create numerous delicious specials. We are passionate about real customer service, and detest aloof attitudes too often found in UK hospitality. Be nice!
We have always worked tight margins because we insist on the best in each and every product, whether it’s hand-cut fries, fresh brioche buns, fresh beef, vegan patties, homemade sauces and desserts. We have collaborated with two breweries to bring Burger Juice (UnBarred, Brighton), and Half Man Half Brother (Brewing Bros, Hastings), and our own French wine arrives later in June. We have stayed 100% independent despite investment offers, and feel we are ready to move towards a third site. To say it has been transformational for us both as people is an understatement. HM!HB! is kind of a religion, with faithful followers topped with cheese. Our story mirrors the story of the recent St Leonards renaissance, an incredible boho creative vibe, where dreams can come true on small budgets, with a lot of hard work and dedication. We also found time to conceive Burger Jam, a festival of great live bands at The Yard site in July this year (02/07/22), to commemorate our first year.
Burger Restaurants
7 Marine Court, TN38 0DX
Wed-Thur 17:00-21:00 | Fri-Sun 12:00-21:00
halfmanhalfburger.com
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Rory and Laura at the hatch, Starsky & Hatch Lower Promenade, Eversfield Place, TN37 6FD.
No.7
Starsky & Hatch is all about artisan coffee, wholesome food and beachside vibes.
We flung open the ‘Hatch’ back in August 2021 with the aim of bringing life back into Bottle Alley so it can be enjoyed by all, take in the atmospheric views and sample amazing produce from local suppliers.
Rory would say it’s all about the coffee! He travelled around the world researching it, lived on a coffee farm in Colombia and has owned a number of successful cafés in Central London. Laura would say it’s all about the view from the ‘Hatch’ and wholesome food incorporating local suppliers.
I guess that’s why we are a great team. We knew the moment we saw the space and opened the ‘Hatch’ we had to secure the site and make it a destination to be enjoyed any time of the year.
Our approach is simple; we take the best local ingredients that we can find, add in a heap of creativity and a lot of fun, and come up with something refreshing and new like our Bloody Mary Crumpets or our Salmon Poké Bowls.
Pair that with a smoothie or a flat white, mix in some cool tunes, friendly service - BOOM, you’ve got your beachside vibes right there!
We can’t sit still with a space like this, the opportunities are endless, and the local support for us is truly amazing. The next push for us this summer is turning Starsky & Hatch from day into evening.
When the sun is going down coffee can be swapped for a glass of wine, paired with light bites and nibbles then topped off with a DJ or acoustic music sessions in the background.
We love this town and feel very fortunate to be part of it. Starsky & Hatch really wouldn’t be what it is without the support and love from the town or the amazing team we have working with us.
Starsky & Hatch
Lower Promenade, Eversfield Place, TN37 6FD
Wed-Sun 8:00-15:00
www.starskyandhatch.co.uk
hello@starskyandhatch.co.uk
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