There is a statistic somewhere that says that most new restaurants close within two years of opening.
In Bristol, there are two restaurant sites that bring that statistic down; sites that only a very brave business indeed would contemplate opening in such is their past history in seeing eateries come and eateries go.
The first is on Baldwin Street, where most recently Guerilla Burger came and not many months later Guerilla Burger then went, joining El Guapo and Zulu in the big restaurant heaven in the sky.
The second is a site above the shops next to Clifton Down shopping centre on Whiteladies Road, which was Creole Brasserie until a few weeks ago, before that the short-lived Three Coqs and before that Budokan.
There is talk that it will soon become a Nando’s. Perhaps unfortunately only a chain restaurant can make sites like these work.
GB felt inevitable. Whenever I went in there it was empty.
Where the Brass Pig currently is on the Triangle is another classic commercial sinkhole.
I think what they have in common is an awkward location. Guerrilla Burger were really hot on their promotion but I only noticed it a couple of days ago, hidden in that little corner. I’m surprised it’s already gone.
Not really a restaurant but I also submit that bar on the corner of King St and Queens Sq. Was QCees, something else, Gallery bar, then a Cuban bar, now I understand it’s something else again!
We are just across from Guerilla Burger and their issue was that they just weren’t competitive with St Nicks array of excellent eateries. For that matter Hotcha better watch out as they’re standards are slipping and they might go the same way. From what I know of the whiteladies area (confirmed South Bristol resident) they also have a lot of competition which means they really need to do something special to attract customers upstairs!
Don’t forget the ones that have been and gone on the corner of Regent Street, towards the end of Princess Victoria Street, half way down Alma Vale Road (on the corner), the second shop along Worral Road, the Noma unit on Whiteladies Road and yes half of Baldwin Street.
The funny thing is that that’s only two postcode areas…
The saddest thing of all is how the Creole website is so triumphant about being open…
http://www.creolebrasserie.co.uk/
The problem with Guerrilla Burger was, unfortunately, the quality. They brought a decent amount of people in early-on, but I didn’t hear a single positive comment on their food.
The big problem Bristol’s facing is places opening before they’re ready, to get some trade flowing through. That just ends up with people frustrated at a poor experience, and an instantly ruined reputation.
The Creole Brasserie was also quite unimpressive for the prices they charged. Basically pub food with different spices.
There was no way they could compete with the many superior restaurants in the vicinity.