A “FIRST of its kind” café in Jersey could expand onto another floor of the building it occupies, if a planning application is approved.
The Santander Work Café, based at 13–15 Charing Cross, is a banking, coffee shop, meeting room and co-working concept which first opened in 2020 on the ground and first floors of a building formerly occupied by Thomas Cook.
Café chain Cargo were appointed to operate the barista area.
Five years on, Santander said the concept was the “first of its kind” in Jersey and had been “highly successful”.
The bank said it had become “very popular with small businesses and remote workers”, which is why the bank was now looking to expand onto another floor “to provide additional space for customers and help to promote local business”.
Santander has submitted a planning application to change the second floor from a formal office space, replicating “the facilities provided on the first floor at present which include open, shared, office space and meeting spaces for hire”.
The bank said that around 20 staff currently worked there, but that they would be relocated to its office at Rutland House in Pitt Street, above Superdrug, which was described as “currently under-occupied”.
In a statement submitted as part of the application, the bank argued that the application would support retail in the area, as the work café was already a place to “bank, eat, drink, meet, work and participate in community events”.
It also noted that no external alterations to the building would be required.
The application, which has been marked as “major” by the Planning Department, is under consideration and will be decided at a later date.
