The owners of Gloucester Food Dock have revealed the names of the first three county food and drink businesses confirmed for the new £3.5 million waterfront dining destination.
Sibling Distillery, Strip Steak Bar and Wholly Gelato will be among 15 new businesses to welcome foodies when the development overlooking Gloucester Docks’ Victoria Basin opens summer 2022.
Sarah Mansfield, of the firm behind the project – Bath-based Ladybellegate Estates, said: ‘We’re really thrilled to introduce these three very different food concepts. They are all family businesses with a strong emphasis on high quality, creative fresh food and sustainability – and what they each deliver is exceptional.’
According to Ladybellegate Estates, Sibling Distillery ‘promises to bring a touch of the Riviera to the docks with classic cocktails, craft beers and sparkling wines on offer as well as local and continental drinks, tasting evenings and happy hours’.
Felix Elliott-Berry, from Cheltenham-based Sibling Distillery, said: ‘We see enormous potential in the docks area and when we heard about the plans for the Food Dock it took us no time at all to realise this will be the perfect place for us.
‘Gloucester is a lively and exciting city and there is certainly an appetite for a fun, vibrant place to go for a great cocktail, a carafe of wine or a local beer in a beautiful setting.’
Arthur Knights, chef and co-founder (along with Ross Sanders) of Strip Steak Bar is said to have worked in Michelin-rated restaurants and trained at Gordon Ramsay’s Culinary School. The business is already a popular draw at Stroud’s Five Valleys Shopping Centre food hall.
Signature dishes include premium sirloin strip steak with beef dripping fries and strip steak wrap with crispy onions and Cheddar sauce, as well as a non-meat option featuring his special vegan steak.
Will Lee, of Wholly Gelato’s Hobbs family, said: ‘As a small, family-run business with proud Gloucestershire roots, we’re all so thrilled to be launching our first Gelato Bar within Gloucester Food Dock.’
Winner of SGGLA 2021 Food Producer of the Year, Wholly Gelato’s Italian-style gelato is made on the farm from milk produced by the family’s own free-range herd at Elmore, near Gloucester.
It is estimated Gloucester Food Dock will create 120 new jobs.
