News / Little Green Rooms
Former charity shop assumes new life as ‘three businesses under one roof’
The former Salvation Army shop on Gloucester Road has been given a new lease of life as three independent businesses under one roof.
The new business space, which took 12 weeks to complete to a high specification, opened its doors on May 30.
The premises at 10–12 Gloucester Road now house a community cafe, ‘Little Green Rooms’ for working and relaxing, and a spacious function room.
The community cafe, which serves seasonal dishes, savouries, cakes, sweet treats, morning bakes, and speciality coffee, is run by & Cafe, part of the FED group
The project was undertaken by Little Green Rooms, a Gloucester Road-based company specialising in the design and creation of sustainable and eco-friendly garden rooms. The intensive refurbishment was spearheaded by husband and wife duo Jack and Alice Hayes.
Bristol24/7 recently visited the space on a busy afternoon, where people were gathering for spot of lunch or a quick coffee.
Speaking to Bristol24/7, Alice said: “So, we’re now three independent businesses under one roof. My partner Jack and I essentially created the space together.
“The story began because Jack runs Little Green Rooms, who have their workshop and all of their operations at the top of Gloucester Road. They’d been running for about four years and were ready to take the next step. Jack decided that a high-end showroom would be the way forward.
“The two of us started looking for a site several months ago, sometime last year. When Jack was designing what he wanted to do with the space, he realised that traditional showrooms are typically quite dull — underutilised, often stark and uninviting. So he immediately knew he wanted to do something a bit different — to ensure the space would be well used and welcoming.”
The hotdesking area is also a key feature of the premises
The community cafe, which serves seasonal dishes, savouries, cakes, sweet treats, morning bakes, and speciality coffee, is run by & Cafe, part of the FED group.
The FED Group are no strangers to operating independent cafes, with venues already in Cotham and Fishponds, and a fourth site set to open in Westbury-on-Trym.
On choosing the cafe operators, Alice said: “Jack already had a good relationship with the team behind the cafe, who have their prep kitchen in the same area. Knowing their aesthetic and approach, he thought it would be incredible if we could get them involved — to run a cafe from the same site.
“That way, we’d have a shared customer base, a vibrant energy, and a beautifully branded space — something that’s really important to Jack. We felt it would be a match made in heaven. And it turns out, it is.”
“We felt it would be a match made in heaven. And it turns out, it is,” said Alice Hayes of Little Green Rooms
The team behind the refurbishment felt the space had been underutilised in the past. Now, the WorkRoom at the rear of the premises promises to be “a place to work, a place to meet, and a place to host events.” The thoughtfully designed environment is equipped with premium desk spaces and flexible functionality.
The hotdesking area features eight workspaces — ideal for freelancers or anyone seeking a change of scene from a formal office setting.
Outdoor seating at Little Green Room for warmer months
Alice explained: “When we found this space, it was actually larger than what we initially needed. But due to its prominent location on Gloucester Road, we knew we had to have it. Jack really fought hard for it — and we got it.
“We realised we had some additional space towards the back of the building. At first, we didn’t have a clear plan for it. We thought we’d just grow into it and see what happened. But as the project developed, we began tossing around a few ideas.”
She continued: “One key idea was to offer something for people working from home — but who didn’t necessarily have the space or setup for a garden room. Jack’s existing clients usually have the space, the gardens, and the budget for that sort of installation.
“But we wanted to cater to a wider audience – people who don’t want to work from a formal office, but still want a beautiful, comfortable environment where they’ll be well looked after. So, we created this additional space, which functions as a hotdesking area.”
The former Salvation Army shop on Gloucester Road has been given a new lease of life as “three businesses under one roof”
All photos: Milan Perera
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