ON THE MARCH
Gastropub team to open coffee shop
FIVE March is the stylish gastropub run by Joanna Nethery and Kevin Small on Elderslie Street, beside Kelvingrove
Park.
They successfully created a space for friends, food drinks and good times with a range of innovative small plates and a sharp cocktail selection. For their next trick, they are opening a coffee shop on Great Western Road.
Morning Glory by Five March is in the last stages of preparation with an opening date announcement imminent. “Alongside our own food we will be stocking gloriously delicious local produce and bringing you lovely ethical goodies to enjoy,” they say.
Brunch options will be on the menu with poached eggs set to land on toasted Freedom Bakery sourdough bread. You’ll also be able to pick up a selection of Kitty’s Donuts and coffee to go.
Martha’s Return
Martha’s had been a familiar sight on St Vincent Street for seven years, they had an enthusiastic local following, a presence at Scotstoun Stadium and had launched in the West End.
After committing to an expansion plan, one of the directors withdrew from the business last year, Martha’s lost a catering contract and founder Gavin Clark decided he had no other option than to close.
Now Martha’s has re- emerged as a new city- wide delivery service and collection option from Platform at Argyle St Arches.
You can expect seasonal, nutritious food including popular dishes like red dragon pork and chipotle chicken, with original boss Gavin back in the kitchen.
Gavin says he was encouraged by positive messages after closing the business but needed a break before deciding what to do next. “With great support from my family and my partner Suzy, I was able to take four months off. It was definitely a healing time. I did a lot of ‘ domestics’, I de- cluttered, eBayed a lot of stuff and completed a lifelong ambition of writing and releasing a record.
“I teamed up with an old music producer friend and we gave all the proceeds to SAMH, to raise awareness of mental health among Scottish men”.
How did the rebirth of Martha’s come about? “In January I started to look at my career again and interviewed for Director positions within Marketing and Operations. However, in March Covid struck and the job market dried up. But the lockdown had created a new demand for home dining and food delivery that hadn’t existed, and new seeds of opportunity started for some of the hospitality industry.
“Soon after the start of lockdown, I was approached by some great Martha’s regulars with an idea of how Martha’s could be a part of this new world.
“I can’t say it was something
I jumped at, but after several months of discussion and development, a new group of partners was created to relaunch the brand.
“The Martha’s brand and intellectual property was bought from the liquidators by the new partners, Scott McCormick joined from Platform with fantastic kitchen and logistics resources and I was brought in with my operational and brand experience to launch the new business.
“My primary role is to ensure the same values and standards are upheld across everything we do and to create the right starting point to build a great business again.
“I’ve managed to roll in one of the original senior chefs who stuck with me across eight years before. He will help to make sure all products are bang on!
“There are seven years of great recipes to draw from so fans will enjoy some of the original classics and a few new ideas too as things develop. It will be a case of all hands to the pump so I’ll be getting out in the van to meet old faces too.”
Clyde- built Gin
The Start- Up Drinks Lab, based in Port Glasgow are known for their craft drinks, and their latest launch is a premium gin created and produced by six local Inverclyde locals who have been involved in every stage of the process, including the eye- catching design of the bottle.
Inverclyde Gin has its own dedicated small batch bottling facility and is working in the community alongside local bars and restaurants to develop the new Scottish gin brand.