Tasty Bean Café Operator Chosen for New Watford Town Hall Venue
Local independent business EnsCat Ltd will open a new café in spring 2027, offering fresh food, affordable drinks, and community space.
By Rebecca Flint
••3 min read
AI
Generic image of the exterior of a historic town hall building with an outdoor seating area and a public square.
The team behind The Tasty Bean Café at Oxhey Activity Park has been selected to operate a new café at Watford Town Hall, scheduled to open in spring 2027.
EnsCat Ltd, the local, independent family business behind The Tasty Bean Café, will run the new venue. It will be located on the ground floor of the Grade II-listed Town Hall, featuring an outdoor terrace overlooking the new Town Square. This forms part of the Town Hall Quarter transformation, aiming to revitalise the historic building and town centre.
The café will offer a diverse menu, including freshly brewed coffee, cakes, breakfast dishes, sandwiches, wraps, light lunches, children's meals, and vegetarian and plant-based options. Key to the offering will be affordable choices, with indicative opening prices such as tea from £2.50, pastries from £2.75, and breakfast baps from £5.25. Meal deals are planned, with no extra charge for alternative milk options like oat, soya, or almond.
Building on the success of its existing café at Oxhey Activity Park, EnsCat Ltd aims for the new Town Hall café to be a welcoming community space for socialising. The business also plans to create local employment opportunities by promoting job vacancies through networks like West Herts College and offering work experience for young people. Partnerships with local schools, charities, and organisations are also intended to support community life.
Sustainability will be a core principle, with plans to reduce food waste, minimise packaging, offer Fairtrade products, and encourage environmentally friendly food choices. The café is part of a wider transformation of Watford Town Hall, which will also house the new Museum of Watford, an Innovation Hub, council customer services, and community meeting spaces.
“
"It's fantastic that the team behind the popular Tasty Bean at Oxhey Activity Park will be bringing their experience to our new Town Hall café. We want the Town Hall Quarter to be somewhere people genuinely enjoy spending time, whether that's exploring the new museum, visiting the library, meeting friends for coffee or simply taking a break in the town centre."
“
"We’re proud to have been chosen to be part of the next chapter for Watford Town Hall. Our team and customers have helped make The Tasty Bean at Oxhey Activity Park what it is today, and their support means a great deal as we take this next step. As an independent family business, we want to bring the same personal welcome, good food and good value to the town centre. We’re looking forward to creating a café that becomes part of people’s everyday lives, whether they’re visiting the museum, working nearby or meeting friends."
“
"With affordable food and drink, a lovely outdoor terrace and opportunities for local jobs and community activities, this café will be an important part of creating a welcoming and lively new space for Watford. It's another exciting step towards bringing our historic Town Hall back into the heart of everyday life in our town."
The new café is scheduled to open in spring 2027. Further details about its opening and menu will be announced closer to the time. More information is available at tastybean.co.uk.
