Entrepreneur expands vision for Sea Road site

A Sunderland entrepreneur is expanding her high street venture with plans to introduce a new wellbeing and creative space.

Nicola Vallely is set to transform the upper floor of her Sea Road premises into a beauty and wellbeing hub, building on the success of Vallelys, her café and wine lounge launched in December 2025.

The business, based in a former Lloyds Bank building, has already created 12 jobs, with further roles planned as it continues to grow and outperform expectations.

Nicola says the new space will bring together therapists, wellbeing practitioners and creative workshops, designed to offer a joined-up experience for customers.

She also plans to incorporate her upcycling brand, Trash NV, alongside sessions focused on creativity, confidence and community.

Nicola said: “I was initially just looking for retail space for my upcycling business but I fell in love with this building and realised it had potential to be so much more.

“I decided to take on the whole building and focus first on establishing a coffee shop which transitions into a wine lounge in the evening. 

“I’ve been blown away by how well it’s been received by the community and can’t wait to get started upstairs.”

The expansion comes as Nicola receives recognition for her venture, including an invitation to Downing Street by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to celebrate North East female founders, following a nomination from her adviser Helen Wardropper at the North East BIC.

Her journey has been supported by the North East BIC through the Enterprising Sunderland programme, where she worked closely with Helen since March 2024 to navigate everything from planning and finance to launching and scaling the business.

Helen added: “Nicola is a confident and passionate woman with a strong environmental ethos. 

“From day one, she had a unique, values-led vision and a real appetite to collaborate with the right partners so the business could grow sustainably.

“It’s been lovely to see that vision come to fruition – a testament to her determination and hard work. 

“She’s a credit to the city and the welcoming, positive environment she is creating for locals and visitors aligns exactly with Sunderland’s tourism strategy. 

“I wish her the utmost success and prosperity going forward.”

Nicola added: “Starting and running a business can feel extremely overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to manage operations, finance and growth all at once.

“I’d had lots of experience of hospitality in the past and I knew exactly how to deliver great customer experience but not setting up a business.

“The support I received from Helen gave me structure and encouragement I needed. 

“Having access to experienced advisers who understand the challenges of small businesses has been amazing.

“I’ve come a long way – both personally and professionally – since I started working with Helen. 

“I made a conscious decision at 50 to start a new chapter in my life and to channel my energy into creating something of my own.

“I cannot relate to the person I was two years ago. 

“The first day I opened, I was mopping the floor and thought, I’m so proud of myself!”

Councillor Kevin Johnston, cabinet member for housing, business and regeneration at Sunderland City Council, added: “It’s fantastic to see Vallelys continuing to grow with the opening of the new beauty and wellbeing hub and to see Nicola’s efforts being recognised by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

“The Enterprising Sunderland programme was set up to help residents realise their dreams of becoming their own boss and Nicola is a fantastic example of how the initiative is doing just that. 

“She is a fantastic success story for the city.”

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