A NEW business is about to give a new lease of life to a York city centre shopfront that has been empty for about 18 months.

The former premises of Italian restaurant Fellini’s, in Fossgate, will reopen in about two weeks’ time as Leila’s, a traditional tearoom but with a modern twist.

Leila McKenzie, 25, is currently having the grade-II listed Victorian building restored to its former glory for her vision of serving fresh, ethically-sourced food and home-baked goods, in an atmosphere of modern design.

She said: “I have had the idea for a long time.

“I have always loved baking and art and I did an art foundation degree before I went to university.

“I thought it was a great way to combine the art and creativity side with business so the inside is going to be quite unusual.”

Leila has had the building taken back to its original brickwork, which was previously covered by plasterboard, and will decorate it with chandeliers made from handheld whisks and across one wall, a 12ft tree branch book shelf, handmade locally by local craftsmen at Pine and Oak Interiors, for displaying art work and tea pots.

Even the tables have been designed to suit Leila’s “modern with a twist” theme, with handmade wooden table legs holding up new laminated table tops in pastel green and white to match the walls.

The tearooms, which may employ up to eight people, will serve traditional cream teas, a variety of homemade dishes and cakes.

Leila herself will bake cupcakes for the tearooms, and they will bake fresh bread every morning.

Great relationships with suppliers are important and she has spent months finding good-quality local producers to work with wherever possible, she said.

It has always been her dream to start her own business, she said.

“I’m doing something I’m passionate about and that really means something,” she said.