The founder of street food and events business Boxpark is stepping down as chief executive in May, he has announced.
Roger Wade, who sold his majority shares in the company to LDC last year, will hand over the running of the company to managing director Simon Champion and chief operating officer Ben McLaughlin. He will stay on with the firm as a brand consultant and non-executive director.
Mr Wade set up Boxpark 10 years ago and it now has sites in Shoreditch, Wembley and Croydon, in London, as well as a sister brand, called BoxHall, which and is planning the opening of a dockside venue in Bristol next year. The business also recently agreed a 15-year lease with TfL for the Metropolitan Arcade building near Liverpool Street Station to open a BoxHall site in the city in 2023.
"It’s been a great ride over the past 10 years but it’s time to jump off and explore new opportunities. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me on this incredible journey but most of all I would like to thank my wonderful team and family for their support," Mr Wade said.
"As Rocky Balboa once said, 'Every once in a while a person comes along who defies the odds, who defies logic, and fulfills an incredible dream'."
Boxpark announced in 2021 that it was planning to redevelop some old dockside sheds in Bristol city centre into a 20,000 sq ft venue called BoxHall. Bristol City Council granted Boxpark a premises license for the venue after a public consultation with the local community.
Boxpark is working with property group Cordwell to develop the scheme, and architecture and design studio Macaulay Sinclair on the interior refurbishment.
Earlier this month, the company confirmed work was under way on the project. The Bristol venue was originally due to open in June 2022, but is now set to open next year after the developers announced "unexpected delays".
The Bristol venture is Boxpark’s first outside the capital and will include restaurants, bars and community space. It will sell food from local and independent eateries, suppliers and street food traders, and will feature regular guest pop-ups. A roster of acclaimed Bristol-born chefs are involved in the venture, which is expected to create more than 100 local job opportunities.
