Lots going on inside the Real Food Store!

Lots of action in the first week of February!

As I write the paint applied by a hardy group of Real Food member-volunteers will be drying nicely! Thanks to all those who came to help paint over the hideous black and dark red ceilings and walls in the café space and top floor on Saturday 5th!

In fact, there is a lot of preparation and making good to walls and corners to do but some painting has been possible and it will be easier to assess the next decoration requirements once the ceilings ands walls have been ‘whited out’ … Real Food members watch out for further announcements about painting and handiwork sessions …

And here's a digest from our Project Managers: some actual and technical stuff to give you a flavour of what's been going on behind the hoardings!

- The new shop fronts and doors are now in: have you seen them? They are stunning and still to come are tiles that will go from pavement level to bottom of the panes of glass. Also Real Food Store signage and completion of works to roof including top floor balconies to continue next week (great for growing plants!)

-The disabled toilet is now complete except for decoration and connection to water and electric.

-The disabled ramp into one side of the store has been formed and the  concrete is now drying off

-The ramp between the two units has now been formed -The toilets in unit number 11 striped out and the rubble has been cleared

-Work to the first floor kitchen area is about to begin; this will be behind the first floor café area     

Electrical works

Installed are alarms, emergency lighting, smoke detection, cable runs through the building with some funky suspended lighting on ground floor with these lights now working.

Energy supply

We are sorting out a contract with Green Energy with the necessary meter changes etc; Green Energy have the best environmental credentials available.

Refrigeration

Installation of some of the units starts on 7 February.

Plumbing

The boiler has been installed (in top number 11 which is also the office space)

Extraction

The site has been surveyed for the extraction for bakery ovens with hole marked up and installation taking place in 14 days.

Flooring

This has now been ordered and installation due on 14 February; we can’t wait to see the lovely marmoleum in situ! This is a fantastic, tough and eco-friendly flooring material.

Shopfittings

These have been ordered and are being delivered on 17 February; cabinets and worktops will soon be installed including some bespoke work to counters to help give the Real Food Store it’s own identity

Water        

This will be supplied by South West Water

IT

This is being set up and installed and will include the electronic point of sale (EPOS) till systems etc. Telephony side of things being sorted out in tandem with this.

Equipment

We are sourcing a combination of new and second hand equipment through auctions, clearances and private sale. We have obtained some fantastic good quality bargains in this way (e.g. catering dish washer, chillers and coffee machines) The furniture will also be a mix of old and new. Many other essentials are being sampled and sourced including all point of sale stuff like bags etc with an eye on eco-friendly and good looking solutions.

See what the store is looking like! Click on ning and check out the photos on the slide show. You don't have to join up to ning to view the photos ...

Aiming to update again very soon but that's it for now ...