Fresh faces and flavours join flourishing Fruit Market

From left, Tommy Coyle of TC60 fitness centre, Alfie Appleton from Chinese Laundry, and The Smoke Room owner Andy Chase, in Humber Street in the heart of Hull’s Fruit Market quarter. Their businesses are among four new openings in the thriving waterfront community.

Pictures: R&R Studio

Hull’s Fruit Market is welcoming a wave of new businesses to the vibrant neighbourhood, including a vintage clothing shop, gym and new dining destinations.

The new arrivals are Asian-inspired eatery The Social Distortion; vintage clothes shop Chinese Laundry; boutique fitness centre TC60; and American-style smokehouse, The Smoke Room.

The additions to the Fruit Market community mean Humber Street in the heart of the waterfront quarter is fully occupied for the first time since the regeneration of the area began.

Asian-inspired eatery The Social Distortion has opened in Hull’s Fruit Market, among a wave of new arrivals meaning Humber Street in the heart of the vibrant neighbourhood is fully occupied for the first time. 

Eagerly-awaited experimental Asian cuisine eatery, The Social Distortion, became the first of the new businesses to open its doors.

Diners can enjoy a selection of innovative Asian dishes at The Social Distortion, accompanied by creative cocktails, with the food and drink offerings seasonal and ever-changing. 

Mark Hill, who owns The Social Distortion with his wife Wendy, said: “After spending a lot of time looking for a suitable location, we’re really pleased to finally be here on Humber Street among a great set of independents. 

“We want to give a big shout-out to the new Social Distortion team and everyone who has come to support us since opening.”

After closing its long-established store in Savile Street in Hull city centre last December, Chinese Laundry has now re-emerged in the Fruit Market. 

Since it was founded in 2004, Chinese Laundry has built an outstanding reputation for high-quality vintage and original clothing. Now, it’s continuing its story among the lively independents of Humber Street.

Chinese Laundry Founder Alfie Appleton said: “Moving to Humber Street and joining such a great bunch of independents marks a new chapter for us. The support we received when we closed motivated us to keep going in our local community. We’re excited to open our doors again.”

From left, Founder Alfie Appleton with team members Leon Johnson, Joe Gray and Cloie Hockney in the new Chinese Laundry vintage clothes shop in Hull’s Fruit Market. 

Fitness fans can now enjoy a new gym in the heart of a community where thousands of people now live, work and socialise. 

Former professional boxer Tommy Coyle has extended his TC60 Training Club to include a new location on Humber Street. The gym offers a full schedule of classes, small group personal training sessions and member access to the TC60 Training Club app.

Tommy said: “We’re really excited to launch TC60 Humber Street – our brand-new boutique strength and fitness coaching destination. The concept of TC60 is so much more than a gym. It’s a community, a place to help people thrive.

“Opening a gym in this area was a no-brainer for me and I’m excited about its future.”

American-style smokehouse, The Smoke Room, is due to open in April, introducing an authentic slice of American cuisine to the city.

Inspired by the smokehouse shacks he visited during travels across America, owner Andy Chase is eager to fire up the smoker for slow-cooked dishes such as brisket, ribs and chicken, alongside tasty vegetarian options.

Andy said: “We plan to slow cook meats like brisket and short ribs for 13 to 15 hours, using just the heat from the smoke, and whole chickens and baby back ribs for three to four hours. We’re aiming to welcome our first guests by the end of April.”

The new openings see Humber Street fully let for the first time since the area’s regeneration began, spearheaded by the Wykeland Beal joint venture of commercial developer Wykeland Group and housebuilder Beal Homes, working in partnership with Hull City Council.

Once home to Hull’s wholesale fruit and vegetable trade, the Fruit Market has transformed from a neglected, near derelict space into a thriving retail, leisure, commercial, cultural and residential community. 

Wykeland Development Surveyor Tom Watson said: “We’re very excited about the new openings on Humber Street. 

“The arrival of these exciting local businesses reinforces the Fruit Market status as Hull’s home of the independents. It’s also a milestone moment as it means Humber Street is fully occupied for the first time since we began the long-term regeneration of the area.”