While Bath’s food and drink scene is on pause right now due to the pandemic, there’s some exciting foodie news on the horizon.

Locals and visitors to Bath later in the year will be able to enjoy a brand new food hall, opening just outside the city centre. Plans have recently been revealed for the Flourish Foodhall & Kitchen at Glenavon Farm, in the charming village of Saltford. If all goes well (and COVID restrictions are lifted in time) it will open in spring 2021. 

Construction for the food hall is well underway, turning old farm structures into a beautiful new building for dining and shopping. The Flourish FoodHall & Kitchen will showcase the finest food and freshest ingredients from small, independent producers in Bath and surrounding areas. 

Depending on restrictions at the time of opening, it will offer food fans the chance to eat in or takeaway. Visitors will be able to take their pick from delicious meals, barista-quality coffee, wood-fired doughnuts, specialty doughnuts and much more.

Speaking to Bath Echo about the Flourish Foodhall, its managing director Paul Castle said:

“We have lots of exciting plans to make Flourish a healthy contributor to the local community, our team and the planet.

“We want to make all our customers feel great when visiting Flourish and leave with a smile on their face.

“Working with local farmer, Adam Stratton, the construction programme is well underway and we anticipate opening our doors in Spring 2021.”

A sustainable, ethical approach

The business behind the new venture, Cotswold Fayre, is proud to be B Corp certified. This means that across the company and the project, it aims to maintain the highest social and ethical standards. 

You’ll be able to see evidence of this when the Saltford Foodhall is finally open. The site will have its own electric charging points for customers to use, along with a plastic-free approach to packaging within the food hall itself. 

Cotswold Fayre is also planning to work with Too Good to Go, an app which helps customers to buy surplus food from local producers. This and other schemes like it help to reduce food waste. 

The Flourish Foodhall & Kitchen will create up to 40 new jobs for the local area. 

Planning your visit

You’ll have to wait until the food hall is open (and COVID restrictions are lifted) to see the fruits of this exciting new project for yourself.  But it’s definitely something to look forward to, so check back on the Flourish website for all the latest updates!

Once open, you’ll be able to reach the Flourish Foodhall & Kitchen by car if you’re staying in Bath. It’s just a 15-minute drive from the city centre, or you can hire some bikes and cycle along the Bristol and Bath Railway Bath in just 30 minutes. 

Keep an eye on the Bath Holiday Rentals blog for all the latest in Bath, during lockdown and beyond.