New open-air seating cafe in Newhaven has ‘exceeded all expectations’

A new café on the Newhaven waterfront has been acclaimed as a 'fantastic addition to the town' by the Lewes Distict Council.

The Sidings – a café, bistro and community space – opened its doors in August and has welcomed hundreds of customers to its open-air seating area ever since.

Fatih Endogan, owner of the venue, said: “When we launched the bistro our belief that people would visit a waterfront venue for good quality food and drink was proved 100% right. The support from customers has been fantastic and I’m certain this interest will continue to grow. I’d like to thank Lewes District Council for developing the Sidings and creating a great new attraction for Newhaven.”

The café/bistro, situated between the former UTC building and Railway Club, was developed thanks to funding from the government – secured by the council's Town Deal Board.

The council say plans are now in place to create a new, more permanent roof space that will give visitors the option of seeking out some shade on hot summer days or avoiding an unexpected shower.

Councillor James MacCleary, deputy leader of Lewes District Council and Newhaven town councillor, said: “The response from residents and visitors to Sidings has exceeded all expectations, it’s proved a fantastic addition to the town.

"The good news about the Sidings is spreading far and wide and I’m certain visitors next year will welcome the improvements we continue to make, including the new cover for the seating area, which follows closely on from the Newhaven Gig Rowing Club’s new clubhouse and the new Active Travel Hub which offers a free monthly bike clinic hosted by Dr Bike and SCDA.”

A number of other regeneration projects will soon take shape in Newhaven as the town benefits from over £35 million in funding that have been secured by successful council bids.

Councillor MacCleary added: “We want to make sure the café is available all year round so we’re putting a new retractable roof over the seating area as well as other improvements to make it usable during bad weather . To do that the café will need to shut for a few months over the winter. I can’t wait for the café to reopen early next year and am sure it’ll go from strength to strength.”

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