A Bristol 'neighbourhood' constructed less than 10 years ago has become a tourist destination and is now considered to be among the 15 ‘coolest’ urban areas in Britain, according to The Telegraph. The national paper listed Wapping Wharf as the 13th coolest neighbourhood in Britain, describing it as an ‘up and coming’ part of the city which locals flock to for the ‘hippest restaurants’.
Many locals however may not think of the former shipyard as a neighbourhood. All that remained on the stretch of land behind the M Shed was a car park up until recently. It is now home to a range of Michelin-star rated restaurants, including Box-E which provides a seven-course meal out of a shipping container.
For the Birmingham-based developer, Stuart Hatton who purchased the seven-acre stretch of land in 2003, the new Wapping Wharf was about creating a neighbourhood where he would like to live himself. The range of food and retail options in close proximity to M Shed, Spike Island and the Arnolfini has put the area back on the map, not just for tourists but for residents in the new builds who only need to stumble out of bed to experience fine dining.
