Eastgate food court looks set for major revamp with street food and bar focus

The Eastgate Shopping Centre appears to have bounced back with a new operator for its troubled food court.

Well-known Highland hospitality firm Cru has placed an advert for a general manager to run a revamped space focused on street food.

The centre was left without a food court after Loch & Larder vacated the area last month, less than two years after a £2m renovation of the space.

Critics of the business said the writing had been on the wall for a while, with the restaurants often looking quiet.

That provided a sharp contrast to the Victorian Market’s food hall, which has been a huge success since it reopened.

Cru will be hoping to make a fresh start with the food court, which was regularly packed out back in the pre-Covid days.

The advert mentions a bar offering, something we’ve not been accustomed to seeing in the Eastgate.

What does the advert say?

Cru’s advert states: “We’re on the lookout for a general manager to take the reins and make this place the go-to food spot in Inverness.

“You’ll be running the show, making sure our guests get the best possible experience and our food and drink offering is always top-notch.

“This is a hospitality role with mostly 9-5 hours, with the occasional evening thrown in to keep things interesting – offering a great work-life balance while keeping the excitement alive.”

The salary is listed as being up to £34,000, with the opportunity to earn bonuses too.

Who are Cru Hospitality?

Cru Hospitality is part of Cru Holdings, which was founded in 2009 by businessman Scott Murray.

It has grown to include a number of successful hospitality venues in Inverness and Nairn, including Prime Steak and Seafood, Scotch and Rye, The White House and the Classroom.

That experience of local success will be encouraging for the Eastgate’s owners, who will be hoping to bounce back after the disappointing performance of Loch and Larder.

Instead of fast food, it was five restaurants focused on home-grown fare.

It included a traditional Scottish restaurant from former MasterChef: The Professionals champion Gary Maclean.

The other four were pizza restaurant Inver Mercato, Indian restaurant Ness n Korma, chicken outlet Cluck and and dessert place Sweet Ness.

But it didn’t take long before people were regularly noticing that it was not busy and had not taken off like its creators had hoped.

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