A delayed project to transform historic dockside sheds in Bristol into a street food hall and live events venue is set to get underway after developers secured a multi-million pound investment.
The company behind London’s famous restaurant and shopping concept Boxpark is working with property firm Cordwell to redevelop the old O&M Sheds on Welsh Back, in the city centre.
The regeneration plans for the 14,000 sq ft space - which will be called BoxHall - were announced in June last year, with a premises licence granted by Bristol City Council soon after.
An opening date for the venue - which is expected to create more than 100 local jobs and house up to 10 food businesses - was originally slated for June this year, but this has now been pushed back to Easter 2023.
Boxpark founder Roger Wade, who announced in April he was stepping down as chief executive, said the planning stages had taken “a little longer than expected” with many additional approval stages required to move the project forward.
Mr Wade added: “However, we want to reassure the local community that BoxHall Bristol is still coming to the city and we can’t wait to help transform Welsh Back with a new all-day social dining venue featuring a rich and diverse variety of Bristol’s best food, beer and music.”
Cordwell - which previously delivered commercial property schemes such as Fiveways Leisure and Regency Wharf in Birmingham - has now secured funding from Birmingham-based debt financier Frontier Development Capital (FDC) to advance Boxpark’s first venture outside the capital.
Tom Wilcox, director at Cordwell Leisure Developments, said: “This finance from Frontier Development Capital enables us to move forward on this exciting scheme in Bristol and deliver a vibrant leisure destination, adding to the city’s already thriving restaurant and dining offering."
Work is set to get under way on the scheme next month, with Mr Wilcox saying completion is expected in "early February" and fitting out for opening happening around Easter next year.
FDC investment director Gerald Gannaway, added: “Unlocking this substantial debt funding gives the project the capital it needs to move at pace, transforming the existing warehouse structures into an enviable dining, retail and food destination for visitors later this year.”
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