Couple take plunge to launch bistro in ‘vibrant’ town
AN Ashbourne couple say they feel like they have “taken the plunge” to open a new restaurant in the neighbouring town of Leek.
Mark and Julie Wood, from Mayfield, have launched Belfield’s Bar and Bistro in the Staffordshire town after running their own business in Belper through the pandemic.
They now hope their new venue, in Stanley Street, will offer customers something a bit different.
Opening a bistro was described as a leap of faith for Mark, who had been an HGV driver for 25 years, and Julie, who worked for Staffordshire Police for 20 years.
They were only 12 months in to their new venture when they were forced to close due to the pandemic.
Mark, 52, said: “We got to a point in life where we wanted to do something different and thought, if we didn’t do it then, we never would.
“We had the place in Belper but felt it wasn’t giving us the opportunity to do what we wanted. We were only open for a year before we had to close for lockdown. We were enjoying it and building a good customer base.
“It was hard. Because we had been trading for less than a year we weren’t eligible for any Government grants but luckily I had something I could fall back on and went back to lorry driving.”
The bistro, formerly The Market Kitchen cafe, has now been completely renovated to create a lounge/bar area downstairs and a restaurant upstairs.
The menu is evolving as Mark and Julie decide what best suits their customers. Current “small plate” options include a mini meze board, battered calamari and southern-fried chicken goujons.
Main dishes include a herbed chicken breast flatbread, Mexican chicken, and lasagne.
Mark said: “We came over to Leek a few times before we made the decision and we were impressed by what a vibrant town it is, so we took the plunge. There are plenty of cafes and pubs in the town centre but we felt there was a gap in the market for what we do. It is somewhere people can come and relax with a cocktail or a glass of wine, or have a meal upstairs.
“We are still working on the menu, changing it every week or two until we get a feel of what people want. We are also putting specials on at the weekend. “
The bistro is open from 10am until 4pm, Wednesday to Friday, for coffee, cake and lunch and then from 5pm until 10pm for dinner on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday it is open from 10am until 10pm, and 10am until 4pm on Sundays.