River Cottage Canteen and Deli plans to open in November at stunning waterside ex-Naval heritage building in Devon. River Cottage has confirmed it will open the next River Cottage Canteen and Deli at Plymouth’s Royal William Yard, an ex-Royal Navy Victuallers Yard, located next to Plymouth Sound and with views of the beautiful Rame Peninsula.
The River Cottage Canteen and Deli, which last week signed a 25-year lease on the Brewhouse building, now hopes to open in November.
It will be based on the successful River Cottage Canteen and Deli in Axminster, which was originally set up by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, campaigner, broadcaster and food writer, who’s River Cottage TV series, on Channel 4, captured the Nation’s interest in food provenance and sustainable living.
Now building on its initial success, River Cottage will make a substantial six-figure investment, to re-create its unique food offering in a stunning waterside ex-Naval heritage building. The Grade I Listed Brewhouse building, part of the historical Royal William Yard scheme which is being redeveloped by award winning regeneration company Urban Splash, is situated right on the facing Mount Edgcumbe. It features a triple height ceiling, and will have a large outdoor terrace, affording spectacular views of The Tamar River, and looks out towards The Sound.
The River Cottage Canteen and Deli, in Plymouth, will offer a unique combination of fantastic seasonal, local, organic and wild food, both in the relaxed ambiance of the restaurant and to take away from the Deli.
“We are excited about the opportunity at Plymouth,” said MD, Rob Love. “The location is jaw dropping, and it will be great to join a vibrant community with a big vision for the future. Our first task now is to work with local food suppliers, to source and develop fantastic produce.”
River Cottage Canteen and Deli aims to provide approximately 25 jobs in the City, and has already recruited about 16 positions. It is estimated it could have a local economic impact to the City calculated to be in the millions – inclusive of transport, the tourist economy, and employment. It is anticipated up to 90% of the food would be sourced within a 50 mile radius of the City and will have a strong South West slant.
“River Cottage believes passionately about where food comes from and how it is produced and wants to support local producers, the local economy and reduce the miles your food has to travel. A strict focus on seasonality is encouraged as is a ‘no compromise’ attitude on quality and taste. We know our suppliers all agree,” said River Cottage Plymouth’s Head Chef, Joe Draper.
‘The best seasonal local produce is always at the heart of the River Cottage approach to cooking, and we are very much looking forward to celebrating and contributing to the vibrancy of the local food community in Plymouth. The City and Region have a strong fishing and market garden heritage, and we have a great opportunity to source the best ingredients and create some fantastic food in a wonderful location. The whole team is seriously excited.” Commented Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall
Emily Handslip of Urban Splash said: “We are very excited to welcome River Cottage Canteen and Deli to Royal William Yard. The arrival of such a strong brand and superb food offering will further complement the gastronomical offer on site. There’s so much energy and excitement at Royal William Yard now, more than 50,000 sq ft of the commercial space is occupied and each new tenant brings a new offering and a great new proposition with them. We cannot wait for River Cottage to open its doors and for the residents and public to have yet another reason to visit this beautiful waterfront location.”
Councillor Ted Fry, Cabinet for Planning, Strategic Housing and Economic Development said: “ I believe River Cottage will add a distinctive and exciting new ingredient to the city – not just for the people who live here, but will crucially help bring in visitors from across the region and beyond into the city. This will help see the creation of new, sustainable jobs as well as contribute to the cultural vibrancy of the city, the food community in the region and drive the tourism economy. We want everyone to know that Plymouth is open for business and are delighted River Cottage thinks so too.”