Two of Salisbury’s parks have a new spot for refreshments.
With Salisbury City Council support, The Wood Bar has opened in Churchill Gardens in a converted, wood-cladded 1960s caravan, and in Victoria Park, in a kiosk that has been empty for more than 10 years.
Like many, after losing work due to the pandemic, Tom Britten and Dimitri Romtsos spent four months re-inventing themselves with plans to open in the city centre. They were rejected by the property developer after months of planning for being “young and inexperienced.” The solution? A premium park plan for the city’s green spaces, encouraging visitors to explore more of the city’s natural open spaces.
“The Wood Bar has had an overwhelming welcome from residents and city visitors after launching during the Easter break. After such great success, it will now stay open seven days a week at both locations until at least the end of September,” said Dimitri.
The Wood Bar serves premium, locally-roasted coffee, cakes and ice cream, and has outdoor seating at both locations. Tom and Dimitri have exciting plans to link up with local businesses and with Salisbury City Council’s support and approval, they hope to host community events in the parks in the coming months.
“When we saw the kiosk had been sat empty for so long, we knew we had to do something to bring the park back to life. Victoria Park already has an amazing support community, including fantastic gardening volunteers, the volunteers at the social enterprise ‘The Pantry Partnership’ and the team at Victoria Park tennis and sports club. We are very excited to become the newest member of this team and look forward to bringing new and creative ideas and events to the park,” Dimitri added.