News / New Openings
Chatterton’s Cafe opening in boy poet’s home
Chatterton’s Cafe will be opening before Easter in the historic former home of Bristol’s world famous boy poet in the shadow of St Mary Redcliffe church.
The council-owned mid-18th century Georgian house on Redcliffe Way has been extensively renovated in recent weeks, with the new cafe due to open on March 24.
is needed now More than ever
Rhea Webber, 22, from Downend, is taking on the challenge of opening a cafe within this often overlooked building, but one which is surrounded by office blocks and hotels, and on a busy walking route to Temple Meads along Portwall Lane.
Rhea’s father found the building for her after driving by and seeing it for sale. “Don’t be silly, I thought,” Rhea said. “He’s a locksmith. But we went round together and I thought to myself for somebody this could be a great opportunity.”
Rhea will be serving food such as baguettes, paninis, rolls, sandwiches and jacket potatoes, with two rooms upstairs seating some 15 people, a sofa and tables downstairs, and an outside courtyard.
“It’s really exciting,” Rhea told Bristol24/7. “It’s a historic building and we wanted to keep the historic connection with the name. I didn’t realise the history originally but I have learnt a lot about Thomas Chatterton since then.
“It’s really interesting because this building actually means something.”
Born in 1752, Chatterton was a poet and forger of pseudo-medieval verses who found international fame after his early and untimely death at only 17 in 1780.
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