Lock Keepers Cottage to be transformed into coffee shop cross taproom as Staggeringly Good Brewery embarks on new venture
Currently undergoing a major transformation is a former gym in Gunwharf Quays which will open as a coffee shop and taproom next month.
The Fossil Thief, which is the brainchild of the team at Staggeringly Good Brewery, is getting ready to open its doors in the ‘unique’ spot of the Lock Keepers Cottage in the shopping outlet.
Joe Ross, company director for Staggeringly Good Brewery, said the new venue, which will open at the end of June, is a chance to celebrate independent businesses in and around the city.
The new spot, which will operate as a coffee shop by day and a taproom during the evening, will work alongside a number of other independent businesses including Broadway Coffee Roasters.
Joe said: “The space became available and we were approached by Gunwharf Quays so we came down and had a look around - we said no originally because we weren’t sure but then we quickly reconsidered.
“We want to create something that can really stand tall next to the big boys and celebrate the independent businesses within the city and that is how The Fossil Thief was born.
“Fossils are something that are cherished treasures but you have find them.”
The site is currently undergoing a significant facelift with a new bar and coffee set up and the team have been meticulously dreaming up the space to create a warm and ‘cosy spot’.
Joe added: “There is no real building as such, it’s more decorative but there is a lot of imagination needed because it was originally a gym so there has been a lot of stuff ripped out and changes being made.
“It is all about making the space versatile so when you walk in in the morning you feel fresh and sharp and then when you walk in in the evening it will be cosy so we’ve been working on how to make that happen and I think we’ve really nailed it.
“We have gone full force here and we are going to give it a good go and I hope it really resonates with people.”
The Fossil Thief will be serving coffee, pastries and drinks produced by Staggeringly Good Brewery for the first few weeks while the team find their feet. But Joe has said the venue will eventually start offering food and he is cooking up something exciting which will be announced in the coming weeks.
He said: “It is a unique space and we will have outside seating which will be really lovely. It is one of those spaces that is a little more modern and it has an obscure combination of 90s metallic glass and old school brick.
“We are doing a lot of the work ourselves and our plans are to make it feel like it can stand up against the big names nearby while maintaining that rough around the edges feel of something that was made from scratch in the city.”
The Fossil Thief has been providing updates and sneak peeks on social media which has already gained over 800 followers.