In Pictures: Anticipation builds as construction gets underway at new Southsea Beach Cafe site due to open next month

Southsea Beach Café confirmed plans to move to the former site of The Beach Club, which previously operated as Mozzarella Joes, in Clarence Esplanade last month after the venue closed in October 2024 due to the Southsea Coastal Scheme.

The venue, which is owned by Ian Clarke, Toby Woodfine and Adam Glyde, is now undergoing a major refit, with the interior being ripped out and replaced with a completely new Dutch-inspired vibe.

The opening date of the new venue is anticipated for mid May with a launch party in the pipeline to celebrate.

Ian said: “There is an incredible amount of excitement for this project but also some trepidation. We originally owned this site so we brought it in 2021 as Mozzarella Joes and at that point we gave it a mini makeover knowing we were going to shut in 2024. We didn’t operate as a business for a year and a half.

“We’ve managed to get quite a following over the last 12 years so this is great that we are going to be able to do this and we want to keep all the things people like but just elevate it a little bit.

“This is an exciting step forward for the whole team and one that allows us to take Southsea Beach Café to the next level.”

The Southsea Coastal Scheme will begin its next phase of work from Speaker’s Corner to St. George’s Road at the end of this year causing the original Southsea Beach Café, on Eastney Esplanade to close as a result.

The owners are planning on operating the original Southsea Beach Cafe site alongside the latest location until the end of the year to ensure customers have a smooth transition.

Toby Woodfine, co-founder of Southsea Beach Café, previously said: “The new location has given us the opportunity to create something fresh and exciting, taking inspiration from famous European beach bars and cafés, while staying true to our spirit of relaxed, high-quality hospitality.