It has two floors - offering a brilliant view of the city you'll never have seen before(Image: Derby Telegraph)

Derby city centre's new food court has opened. It's awesome

31 Jul 2026, 13:30 by Oscar Fisher · Derbyshire Live

After Bustler's move from The Chocolate Factory near the railway station last year, the doors have finally opened to its new site: a little courtyard which connects the colourful Sadler Gate to St James's Street.

Inside this hive of activity awaits a dozen-or-so businesses, ranging from bars and cafes to pizza parlours, cookie shops and even a bookshop.

During its first lunchtime rush on Friday (July 31), crowds were already starting to fill the site, which is constructed from shipping containers offering two floors, overlooking a decked area with room for at least 100 visitors.

Neelam Atique owns Dollies, an American-style cookie business, along with her husband, Hassan Abubaker, and the pair are "over the moon" to return to Bustler again, having been regulars at the old site.

"We come from Leicester, but we've been involved in Bustler for a few years - this is actually our first physical permanent site, so it's really exciting to see things finally take shape," Neelam said.

"We sell big American cookies and have dozens of different recipes, a lot of them are stuffed with chocolate and other fillings as well, so they go down really well with people.

"We've had a great relationship with Bustler over the years so when they asked if we'd be interested we couldn't say no.

"If you look around, they've done a fantastic job and the vibe is unmatched, and there's such a community feel. We're really excited to be part of it."

If you're after something savoury, El Capo's pizza is one of the many micro-restaurants on offer at the new site.

Owner and local lad Ben Trivett says the new food court is "everything Derby needs" - particularly due to its location in the heart of the city.

"We've been around for four years now but this will be our first permanent site. We've worked with Bustler a lot in the past and we agreed it'd be great to have a pizzeria here, and we're proud to bring another independent business on board.

"Our expectations were high, we know how good Bustler are, and it's clear to see how much effort has been put into making this the best it can be.

"It's everything Derby needs in the heart of town, and it's already been really busy on opening day, it's great to see everyone coming together to check it out."

Once you've ordered your food and maybe a pint from the bar, there's a micro-library in the corner provided by Bearded Badger Publishing, which used to own a store in Belper before the pandemic.

Ben Handley, 22, who works at Bearded Badger along with his dad, says they are "delighted" with the reception on opening day.

"We usually work on markets and pop-ups around the county and the Midlands, and when we heard about this place opening up we thought it would be a great place to open a book shop.

"It was a steady start from 9am, but once the other food businesses opened we've been really busy, people love popping in and having a browse, and we've sold a few books - which is always a bonus."

The new Bustler in the heart of Derby is now open from 9am to 10pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and from 9am to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

You can take a look inside Derby's newest food court in our photo gallery below:

Neelam Atique and her husband, Hassan Abubaker, of Dollies(Image: Derby Telegraph)