A RESTAURANT on Weymouth harbour which shut down nearly two years ago is being given a second lease of life by new owners who have lofty ambitions for the venue.
Gary Pullin and his family have taken over the reins at The Loft in Custom House Quay, with a grand re-opening planned for Friday, April 28 to coincide with the bank holiday weekend.
Formerly known as The Stable pizza restaurant, the harbourside eatery has undergone a transformation with a new bar, seating and plenty of food and drink options to suit all diners.
The Stable closed down suddenly in January 2020 before being replaced by The Loft later that year at the beginning of the pandemic.
Mr Pullin told the Dorset Echo that selected wines, an array of gin flavours, fresh cocktails, hand-stretched pizzas, gourmet burgers and seafood will be amongst the menu at The Loft.
The family, originally from near Bristol but now living in Weymouth, also own the nearby Crustacean restaurant in St Mary’s Street which they opened in May 2022.
It took them a while to obtain the keys to The Loft after some unsuccessful attempts, but after finally filling out all the paperwork, Mr Pullin is excited about the challenge of taking over another venue in the town centre.
Set across three floors, The Loft enjoys magnificent views of Weymouth Harbour and along the coast and can also be accessed via a lift for those less mobile.
“I felt it was too good an opportunity to miss, it has got that Mediterranean feel to it and it is just something different,” Mr Pullin said.
“It has got that shabby chic style. We’ve got a new bar with new pumps and ales put in, with a fantastic selection of gins.
“The wines are not just your run of the mill, they have all been tasted by myself and they are fantastic.
“The views are great here as well – the doors open up and look over the harbour.”
As well as seating indoors and outside, The Loft also offers a function room on the third floor which can seat up to 30 guests.
Mr Pullin said he may get creative with this space in the future with potential for a cocktail bar, and also floated the possibility of hosting live music and comedy acts at The Loft once it is up and running.
“I am really looking forward to it. There are four of us involved, my sons Ryan and Callum and wife Stephanie, so it is a real family affair,” he added.
“One thing you have got to rely on is family because staff shortages are really hard for hospitality at the moment – whenever you walk past a pub you see that ‘staff wanted’ advert. It’s very hard to recruit.”
Mr Pullin said he is going to ‘play it by ear’ in terms of opening hours depending on staff levels at his two restaurants, but was hoping to open every day from 11am except Wednesdays moving forward.
“We know it is going to be busy on the harbour – it is always a pull and the bars are always busy,” he added.
“The worst thing we can do is put on a skeleton crew in here and struggle. We want it to be right and to give it 110 per cent.”
Mr Pullin also wants to make sure local people are not forgotten about during the busy tourist season, and will be offering loyalty cards to those living in the area.
“We want to give it a twist of our own,” he said. “I want people to come here and enjoy themselves.”
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