Dough Coffee House and Kitchen Opens in the Former HSBC on Whitley Road

Another empty bank branch in Whitley Bay has been brought back to life. Dough Coffee House and Kitchen has opened in the former HSBC on Whitley Road, adding a new independent all-day spot to the town centre and putting a long-vacant unit back into use.

The venue trades as Dough WB and sits at 279B Whitley Road, NE26 2SW. Run by owner Ben, it serves an all-day menu built around brunch staples: cooked breakfasts, sourdough sandwiches and açai bowls, alongside speciality coffee. It is dog friendly and operates on a walk-in basis, so there is no need to book.

For residents, the opening is a small but welcome piece of good news for the high street. Bank closures have left gaps in town centres across the country, and seeing a prominent former branch reopen as a busy independent cafe, rather than sitting shuttered, is exactly the kind of reuse that keeps Whitley Road feeling alive. It also adds to a strengthening independent food-and-drink scene in the town, which has recently welcomed new arrivals on Park View and around the seafront.

Dough's current opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 8am to 4pm, and Sunday from 9am to 3pm. As with any new business, hours and menu can change in the early months, so it is worth checking directly before making a special trip. The cafe has been building a local following through its social media since opening, and word-of-mouth around town has been positive.

The arrival was flagged in a new-business announcement by community page Our Whitley Bay, which highlighted the transformation of the former HSBC into the new coffee house. If you are exploring Whitley Road's independent shops and cafes, it is an easy one to add to the list, sitting within a short walk of Park View and the Metro station.