Bristol’s independent street food traders are being invited to apply for space in the hotly anticipated BOXHALL food hall destination, which promises to bring a new urban dining concept to the city when it opens next summer.
London-based Boxpark, which operates three high-profile and highly successful street food schemes in the capital, has signed up acclaimed Bristol chef Josh Eggleton to help ensure BOXHALL will showcase the breadth of the city’s independent local food and drink businesses. 
The team behind the new venture, which will be based in the historic waterside O&M Sheds on Welsh Back, want a regional food offering which champions a diverse mix of independent street food traders from in and around the city for its seven kitchen spots.
Boxpark describes BOXHALL as a premium food and drink-led concept with a modern food hall structure offering high-quality product ranges and carefully curated, authentic cuisine from local, independent street traders and restaurant operators.
The 20,000 sq ft venture, which was originally scheduled to open this summer, will feature two external terraces overlooking the Floating Harbour and will also host a complementary events programme showcasing the best of Bristol’s music scene as well as a mix of other cultural events.
Its interior will be designed by Nottingham-based Macaulay Sinclair, which worked on London’s top-rated Hawksmoor group of steak restaurants and the Dishoom chain of upmarket Indian restaurants. 
BOXHALL is looking for food businesses with a minimum of two years’ experience of trading and operating in a customer-facing environment.
Following an initial and fully refundable deposit, each selected trader will be provided with a fully fitted plug-and-play commercial kitchen, worth around £100,000, allowing them to start trading without the concerns of significant financial outlay.
BOXHALL COO Ben Mclaughlin said: “We have invested heavily in our kitchens and technology to give food operators a fantastic opportunity to grow their business and ensure they can deliver a seamless guest experience.
“Food will be at the heart of BOXHALL – and with space for just seven kitchens, the trader roster needs to reflect the diverse and high-quality offering from Bristol and beyond.
“Bristol has a phenomenal reputation as a culinary city and we’re incredibly excited to be working alongside Josh in our search.
“His reputation in the region is unparalleled and his knowledge and experience of the regional landscape will be invaluable.”
Josh, pictured, best known as the award-winning chef patron of The Pony in Chew Magna, Pony Bistro in Bedminster and the Salt & Malt fish-and-chop restaurants, is advising on BOXHALL’s incoming street food and specialist beverage operators, as well as local partnerships and working to build and deliver a variety of live events within the venue.
He said: “Over the next few months, we’ll be taking registrations of interest and from there we’ll be looking to create a food offering that’s representative of Bristol’s incredible food culture.
“The search is going to be a wide and diverse one, it’s intended to be open to all kinds of operators and the way the tenancy works, with the reduced capital outlay on the operator, there’s a real chance to make something different and special.”
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees welcomed the arrival of BOXHALL, calling it another vote of confidence in the city centre and its recovery from the pandemic.
“I’m excited to see the new BOXHALL – and meet some of the traders the team selects alongside Josh to help make it another special stop in Bristol’s food scene,” he said.
Boxpark opened its first venue 10 years ago in East London’s Shoreditch area, where it used shipping containers to house a range of street food restaurants, bars and indie shops, creating what it called ‘the world’s first pop-up mall’.
It has since opened outlets at Wembley in North London and Croydon in the South of the city and plans to open a Boxpark in Liverpool in late next year as well as a BOXHALL in the Liverpool Street area of London, also next year.
