Fresh businesses breathe new life into Bristol Temple Quays arches thanks to Project 1000

17/10/2022

The Temple Quays neighbourhood in Bristol has seen an array of new businesses – such as a vegan doughnut store and brewery – breathe new life to the railway arches. Set across the river from Bristol Temple Meads station, and at the heart of the Bristol City Council Temple Quarter Development, The Arch Company is supporting this activity by investing in the railway arches spanning Oxford Street and Silverthorne Lane.  

A bustling community of new breweries and eateries, set amongst the longstanding industrial tenants, are inviting Bristolians to explore the arches. A new business in the neighbourhood is Little Martha Brewery, opening on 18th December 2021. Bristol’s newest brewpub, their arch will be a stone’s throw from The Cider Box on Silverthorne Lane. We have additional spaces to rent here, and hope that having a series of new small businesses move into the arches will encourage residents to spend more time visiting this area, that has been somewhat overlooked by locals in the past. 

Pelin Morgan, Founder said: “We had been dreaming about opening our own brewpub for a long time before we found our arch, which we thought was the perfect location for Little Martha Brewing. Being at the centre of a developing area, close to Temple Meads station and with a range of good local breweries nearby, it’s an ideal spot for us as well as providing a great atmosphere. Moving in alongside our more established neighbours has been really exciting, and we’re hoping that people will enjoy our cosy spot under the arches and our new range of beers poured fresh from our serving tanks.”  

Another popular new arrival is Future Doughnuts – a vegan doughnut store that opened during the pandemic. With Bristol’s vegan food landscape growing in recent years, Founder Kay Stanley wanted to tap into this trend. After spotting the advert for a railway arch to rent, Kay knew it would be ideal. She said: “We liked the space and value for money considering its proximity to the train station and city centre. We could see its potential as a fun place to hang out and liked how it was tucked away.”  

Kay added: “What has been an unexpected bonus is the business community in the area, which bolsters the loyalty from local residents. We like our neighbours a lot.

Nick Vaile, Lettings Manager at The Arch Company said: “It’s exciting to welcome new and diverse businesses to a historically industrial area. The convenient location of our railway arches – a short walk from Temple Meads and the city centre – has led to an influx of interest, furthered by new residential apartments and offices in the Bristol Temple Quarter nearby creating a market for different business types. We want to support this demand and are committed to investing in our estate, as part of our £200million development scheme Project 1000. We hope to encourage locals to spend more time exploring this community, whilst retaining our longstanding tenants here too.” 

For those interested in renting a railway arch, visit our To Let page to see available spaces to rent in Bristol’s Oxford Street, Silverthorne Lane, and beyond.