Small business owner slams “ridiculous” building work causing him to lose customers

Caffè Tucci, located on Surrey Street in Sheffield City Centre, opened just five months ago but has enjoyed a steady stream of customers due to their good quality food, coffee and Italian products.

However, two weeks ago, work began to create a hotel and restaurant located next door.

The owner of Caffè Tucci, 31-year-old Salvatore Capasso, said: “It is ridiculous! The building work has obstructed the view to my cafe as well as leaving dust outside which is putting potential customers off.”

He said since the building work started, the cafe has suffered financially seeing both a decrease in customers and income which can be detrimental to a small business.

Large metal gates and wooden boards have been placed around the premises, rendering it almost inaccessible to passers-by and the dust is putting customers off.

A new 20-bed hotel and Miller & Carter Steakhouse restaurant are being created in the former Halifax bank on Surrey Street, which was bought by hospitality chain Mitchells & Butlers last year.

One builder involved in the project said it was an 18-week project and they hoped to be finished in December.

Salvatore said: “I have been calling Sheffield Council about this for weeks and had no answer and even if Miller & Carter have planning permission, they are still on my premises.

“People used to be able to see my building from the train station but that is no longer the case.”

Salvatore said he hopes that highlighting his plight will help promote his cafe so his business can get back on track.

He is calling for the boards and fences around his business, blocking it from view, to be removed.

Planning permission for the hotel and restaurant was granted in March 2020.

At the time, documents showed the hotel would be an Innkeeper’s Lodge. The restaurant was set to be on the ground floor and basement.

Some 48 full-time jobs were due to be created, the planning application stated.

The firm stated then: “The restaurant will attract additional footfall to this part of the retail core and improve the city centre’s tourism offer.”

The building dates back to 1893 but empty since 2017.