A NEW coffee shop and bakery will be open for business from Monday (19 January) in an exciting new location in Leicester city centre.
Public – which already has branches in Mountsorrel, Loughborough and Nottingham – is now bringing its unique range of coffees, croissants and baked goods to Leicester’s coolest new workspace.
The coffee shop will occupy the atrium at Canopy - the former factory buildings on King Street that will formally reopen as a new home for the city’s creative businesses in the spring.
Beneath a glazed roof and surrounded by retained heritage features, such as exposed brickwork and the factory’s original beams, customers will be able to enjoy the finest Allpress coffee and Public’s trademark filled croissants, while watching the team crafting sourdough in the on-site bakery.
Public’s chief creative officer Raffaele Russo said: “We’re really looking forward to becoming part of Leicester. The response so far has been incredibly warm, and it’s been great to see the excitement building already.
“We’ve always been drawn to buildings with character, so Canopy, with its original factory features, feels like a natural home for Public.
“We can’t wait to open our doors on Monday (19 January) and welcome people in for good coffee, croissants and a menu that reflects the way we like to do things.”
Leicester City Council has led the £14.6 million project to transform the cluster of heritage buildings at Pilot House into a development that offers 33,000sqft of high-quality accommodation.
The ambitious redevelopment offers a range of attractive workspaces alongside meeting rooms and conference facilities, a co-working lounge, reception area and outdoor courtyard.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “We’ve transformed a group of significant but disused heritage buildings into a new hub for start-up and growing businesses, creating a landmark destination that will become a source of pride for Leicester.
“As well as supporting high-quality jobs in the city’s thriving creative sector, this important redevelopment will contribute to the wider regeneration and prosperity of King Street, Belvoir Street, Market Street and the New Walk area. It will also complement recent landmark developments like the Gresham Building.
“The opening of the coffee shop on Monday (19 January) will give everyone a chance to pop in and see how these heritage buildings have been reimagined.
“Public’s coffee shop and bakery will be at the heart of Canopy, filling the space with the aroma of fresh coffee and warm bread while creating 30 new jobs.
“I’d like to give the team a warm welcome to Leicester and wish their new venture well.”
Canopy will be formally opened in spring 2026, although one business – the conservation experts at the Leather Conservation Centre – is already operating from its new workspace. By the end of March, around 10 more businesses will have moved in.
The new workspace will support the city’s creative and design sector, becoming a base for businesses with a focus on enterprise and innovation, and will help to support around 250 jobs in the city centre.
Canopy will be run by the same team that manages the city council’s successful workspaces at LCB Depot, Phoenix Square and Makers’ Yard in Leicester’s cultural quarter.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the workspaces available at Canopy can email workspace development manager James Burkmar at Canopy@lcbdepot.co.uk
The redevelopment of Pilot House and its transformation into Canopy was undertaken by Henry Brothers Construction under contract to Leicester City Council.
The project is supported by £9.9 million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.