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Meet the foodies opening in shipping containers
It’s still a hole in the ground, but a glimpse of what the Cargo development in Wapping Wharf will soon look like has been revealed with the arrival of converted shipping containers.
Cargo 1 will include 18 containers with Cargo 2 almost double the size coming in the future. Many of the units, which are set across two levels, have glass frontages, views out across the Floating Harbour and outside terraces.
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By the end of next month, these will house restaurants, takeaways and shops from the likes of Josh Eggleton from the Michelin-starred Pony & Trap, Bristol-based former Masterchef finalist Larkin Cen, and the team behind Corks of Cotham and Corks of North Street.
Here are those and a few more traders getting ready to move into this ever-improving corner of town:
Chicken Shed
Chicken Shed will be a new restaurant and takeaway from the team behind food festival Eat Drink Bristol Fashion and pop-up cafe Yurt Lush at Temple Meads. It will serve ‘beak to foot’ British chickens, using free range, slow grown and GM-free meat from local suppliers.
Josh: “This is what Bristol is all about. I used to work at Olive Shed and back then we were always talking about what could happen here, and now it is. We’ll be making amazing fried chicken, using ethically sourced birds.”
Luke: “One of our aims at Eat Drink Bristol Fashion has always been to create interesting spaces, and this just fits.”
Woky Ko will be a 40-seater modern Asian restaurant and takeaway headed up by MasterChef finalist Larkin Cen, serving the likes of steamed buns, kimchi, rice dishes and sharing plates.
Larkin: “I knew as soon as I came down here that this was the venue because it offers something unique. It’s all about the independent retailers, not pricing the independents out of the market.”
Corks at Cargo
The wine, spirits and beer merchants Corks will be opening their third site at Cargo after Cotham Hill and North Street. It will be the first Corks to offer a bar for customers.
Rachel: “We’ve always talked about having a little bar. People will be able to pop in for a glass of wine or a local beer, which the staff will pick out. The fact that this development wanted only independent businesses is very good for us.”
Artisan gourmet pies from the West Country
Phil: “We’re based in Bristol so we always wanted our first shop to be here. We’re from a street food background, so we’ll keep the same ethos: simple, affordable and tasty. This will also be hopefully the first of many.”
The first Pigsty restaurant from the three brothers behind The Jolly Hog, bringing their top porky treats to Bristol from burgers to bacon jam.
Max: “This will be our first restaurant and Cargo is a brilliant location for what we want to be doing here. It couldn’t be better.”
Bristol Cider Shop will be moving from their original home on the Christmas Steps, selling a large variety of apply goodness as well as hosting an increased number of events.
Pete: “The biggest thing for us here is the great location, and the great food and drinks community that this will be. We love matching amazing food with amazing cider and we’re all about collaboration.”
Not at the launch of Cargo was Elliott Lidstone from Box-E Bristol, who promises Modern British seasonal cooking featuring a four-seat kitchen table for those who want to experience the buzz of the kitchen.
He said: “It’s incredibly exciting to have the containers arriving on site after months of planning. We’re desperate to get started on transforming our bit of metal box into something special, and I can’t wait to get into my own kitchen and start cooking. Cargo’s already got a strong sense of community about it and it’s great to be able to contribute to Bristol’s exploding food scene.”
And it’s not just food and drink either, with florist Hayley Wright from The Mighty Quinns promising no two bunches of flowers will be the same, as well as focusing on interior plans and selling greeting cards from Bristol artists.
There will also be Shambarber from Stokes Croft opening its second barbershop.
Will Duckworth, senior retail surveyor at property agent JLL, said: “The vision for Cargo has always been to provide a stepping stone for fledgling businesses including pop-ups and street traders and give them a chance to scale up.
“As it is so rare for independent retailers to be given the opportunity to come into a city centre regeneration project like this, we have also had interest from more established independents, but we are keen to get the right balance and there are still opportunities for smaller street traders to get involved in Cargo 2.”
For more information, visit www.wappingwharf.co.uk/retail-at-cargo
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