Exclusive: New Bath restaurant from Beckford Group signals serious Westcountry expansion

The Westcountry’s Beckford Group will open a new restaurant in Bath next month, focusing on ‘modern British lunch and dinner’.

The Beckford Canteen will be housed in a former Georgian greenhouse in the centre of town and will feature 40 covers inside and another 40 in the restaurant’s ‘hidden garden’ outside.

In charge will be Ollie Sutton, who made his name in Bath at the popular Beckford Bottle Shop, and the chef George Barson, who has worked at River Cottage in nearby Devon, at Viajante with Nuno Mendes, and for Heston Blumental at Dinner. Most recently Barson was chef director at Cora Pearl in Covent Garden.

His menu will be one of ‘provenance and seasonality’, with dishes such as cured pig’s jowl; pheasant terrine; gurnard with shellfish sauce and sea beets; and veal cheeks with Jerusalem artichokes and onions.

‘My cooking has long been inspired by growing up in Devon, and the palette of my grandfather who was a brilliant home cook,’ said Barson.

‘A lot of my dishes are underpinned by nostalgia, but also have a contemporary, technique driven style. But for me, what is most important for The Beckford Canteen, is just to cook some super tasty food using the best produce that the South West has to offer.

‘Alongside the food, I also want to build an inspiring and importantly, kind environment for the whole team. Together I hope we can create a welcoming and memorable dining experience that people both from Bath and the wider area are excited to visit.’

The new restaurant is another ambitious move from the Beckford Group, which is run by co-founders Dan Brod, Charlie Luxton and Matt Greenlees. Together, the trio are building something of a Westcountry empire, with four country inns, dotted across Wiltshire and Somerset, also open.

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