FueLab health drinks kiosk opens in festival Place

FueLab, which launched at Chineham Shopping Centre earlier this year, relocated to St John's Square outside Festival Place, situated between Metro Bank and Tesco, on Monday, June 1.

Co-founder Joshua Wright described the move as a promising fresh start.

"It seems a lot busier already, we're really excited," said 18-year-old Joshua. "We've had a lot of good feedback already this morning, so fingers crossed it's all going to be onwards and upwards."

Callum Singh, 19, Joshua Wright, 18, and Luke Hazell, 39 founded the business together (Image: Newsquest)

The team arrived well before the 9.30am opening to get everything ready, and Joshua said early customers had been pleasantly surprised to find them there.

"People are quite surprised to see us here already; a lot of people didn't know until they just stumbled across us," he said.

The proximity of Basingstoke Sports Centre is seen as a key advantage for the business, mirroring the setup at Chineham, where neighbouring Jetts gym provided a steady stream of customers.

Teenagers Callum and Joshua founded the business with Luke Hazell (Image: Newsquest)

"It's similar to Chineham in the fact that Jetts gym was right there, but with the Sports Centre there and all the shops around, it's just a lot better," Joshua added.

Fellow founder Luke Hazell, 39, said footfall at the Chineham site had been a challenge, and the new location represents a turning point for the business.

The move came about after Basingstoke MP Luke Murphy contacted the team to congratulate them on their launch. FueLab then reached out to ask whether he could broker an introduction at Festival Place, leading to a six-week trial with the possibility of a longer-term presence.

The menu has expanded since the Chineham days. Alongside Buddha bowls and protein shakes, available with alternative milks and vegan protein powder, and hydration drinks, the team has added yoghurt bowls and freshly made salad bowls, with an eye on broadening their appeal beyond gym-goers.

"We're going away from just the gym audience a little bit," Luke said. "It's a healthy alternative for someone who wants a more balanced diet."

The boys at their new location (Image: Newsquest)

The kiosk's low-calorie hydration drinks, at around 25 calories per serving, have already been turning heads.

"Because they're a colour or they look bright, people assume they're full of sugar," Luke said. "But they're only 25 calories."

The business trades from 9.30am to 7pm daily, with slightly shorter hours on Sundays.

An official launch event is planned for Sunday, June 7, with local influencers and members of Basingstoke Rugby Club invited.

Customers on the day can spin a prize wheel to win free T-shirts, drinks and discounts, and there will be a prize draw for a month's supply of hydration drinks.

Looking further ahead, the team has a packed summer of events lined up, including a triathlon series, the Basingstoke half-marathon in October, and a sevens rugby tournament in August, where they hope to supply hydration drinks to a local club's training programme.