Once a shoe shop, it’s now a cool breakfast and lunch spot
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09:48, 13 JUL 2026
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The day before Nottingham’s newest food spot officially opened, passers-by were already coming through the door hoping to buy one of its tasty bagels.
There’s been plenty of build-up surrounding Arran’s Bagels on social media and even a branded Mercedes has been driving around the city promoting the shop on the corner of Bridlesmith Gate and Low Pavement.
The idea behind Arran’s Bagels is simple — proper bagels, good coffee and a neighbourhood spot in the city that people go to all the time.
The menu is short with combinations such as bacon, egg and cheese, salt beef and pickles, and schmears — cream cheese with variations such as scallion, hot pickle and honey, Nutella double chocolate and brown sugar cinnamon.
Plain, sesame, everything (with seasonings including sesame seeds, garlic, onion, and salt) and cinnamon and raisin.
Customers are greeted at the front door with a mat saying ‘schmear’ on the chequered tiled floor. The shop, which has lacy net curtains at the windows, bagel-shaped lights on the ceiling, wooden beams and dark green tiling, is mainly takeaway but there’s a few stools by the window and benches outside.
The cool decor includes back shelves decked out with branded merchandise including sweatshirts and coffee cups. There’s plenty of digs at sandwiches, while the A-boards outside urge ‘break up with your meal deal’.
The shop is the latest venture from Arran Bailey, managing director of ALB Group, whose projects have become a familiar part of Nottingham’s city centre in recent years, many of them neighbours with Arran’s Bagels in Bridlesmith Gate.
The idea didn’t start with a business plan. It started with bagels. Arran said: “Every time we went to New York, we’d come back talking about bagels. It wasn’t really about the bagels themselves. It was how they fit into everyday life.
“People grab one before work, eat one sat on a bench, pick one up on the way home, get one when they’re hungover. They’re just part of the neighbourhood.
“When we’d come back home it always felt like something was missing. Nottingham has loads of great coffee shops, bakeries and restaurants, but we couldn’t find the kind of bagels we kept going back for.”
The team has spent months developing the bagels themselves with a local bakery. “We didn’t want to just buy something off the shelf,” said Arran.
“We’ve been ridiculously picky about everything. Texture, chew, crust, size, seeds, the lot.
“It’s taken longer than we expected because the bagel is the whole point. If you get that bit wrong, nothing else matters. We’d rather do a smaller number of things really well than try to do everything.”
The business has created around 20 jobs. “A lot of the team joined before launch and have helped shape what Arran’s is from day one,” he said.
“Everyone’s bought into it. There’s a slightly obsessive energy around bagels, coffee, music, service, all the small details. Most people won’t notice those things individually but they definitely feel them.”
While Nottingham’s food scene continues to grow, Arran said he isn’t interested in competing with anyone.
“We’re not really looking at it like that,” he said. “Nottingham’s got room for good independent food spots and everybody does things differently.
“We’re not trying to build a massive brunch place or somewhere designed just for Instagram. We want Arran’s to become part of people’s routines.
“If someone grabs breakfast here three times a week, that’s a bigger compliment than somebody travelling across the country to visit once.”
The shop has opened in the former Moda in Pelle unit, which closed nearly a decade ago. The space already had plenty of character, something the team felt suited the brand from the beginning.
“We love the idea that Arran’s doesn’t stop at the front door,” said Arran. “You grab your bagel and eat it wherever. Sat on the kerb outside. In the park. On the train home. Walking through the city.
“That’s what the best bagel shops do. They become part of the place they’re in.”
Prices start at £5.50 for a build your own bagel, rising to £9 for salt beef. Drinks include hot and iced coffees, matcha and cream soda.
The shop is open from Monday to Saturday, 7.30am to 5pm, and Sundays 8am to 5pm.
Bacon, egg, cheese and chilli crisp bagel 1 of 8ShareComments
Bacon, egg, cheese and chilli crisp bagel
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There’s a small number of window seats 2 of 8ShareComments
There’s a small number of window seats
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Order here but don’t ask for a sandwich3 of 8ShareComments
Order here but don’t ask for a sandwich
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The property used to be a shoe shop4 of 8ShareComments
The property used to be a shoe shop
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Merchandise such as sweatshirts and coffee cups 5 of 8ShareComments
Merchandise such as sweatshirts and coffee cups
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The cool decor at Arran’s Bagels 6 of 8ShareComments
The cool decor at Arran’s Bagels
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Assistant manager El Maddison showing off one of the branded sweatshirts 7 of 8ShareComments
Assistant manager El Maddison showing off one of the branded sweatshirts
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Break up with your meal deal 8 of 8ShareComments
Break up with your meal deal
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food&drink
Nottingham City Centre
Eating Out in Nottingham