Owner of Clouded Leopard Gin Will Phillips opens The Priory Restaurant and cocktail bar in Christchurch

A NEW restaurant and cocktail bar, The Priory, has been opened in Christchurch by gin maker Will Phillips and his partner Charlotte Wells.

The venue in Church Street offers modern British dishes “with a twist”, and chef Mark Gainford prides himself on using the very best local and seasonal produce to create “homely, emotional flavours”.

Inspired by the glamour of The Ivy chain of restaurants, Will and Charlotte, a dentist based in Highcliffe, wanted to create a relaxed eatery where diners would be happy to spend their entire evening.

“Christchurch is a really great place,” said Will, who launched Clouded Leopard Gin in 2019 in honour and support of this beautiful and elusive big cat. “You have the castle ruins, the Priory church bells ringing out – it’s kind of a romantic location.

“I wanted to bring something different, in terms of atmosphere and decor, to the town. We start the day as more of a cafe offering breakfasts and delicious cakes and pastries; come the evening we want customers to spend their whole evening here, starting with an aperitif or cocktail from our light-up bar before moving upstairs for a meal in our restaurant.

“Our unique selling point is our support for various wildlife charities. The wine we stock is endorsed by David Attenborough, and we have table talkers encouraging diners to donate £1 to conservation groups like the Born Free Foundation and the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.”

Will, who moved to Southbourne in 2020, having run The Roebuck Inn in Marlborough, plans on hosting guest speakers from the foundations.

“I’d really love to have Joanna Lumley here,” he said. “I will also be running cheese and wine tastings and cocktail masterclasses, and the restaurant upstairs will be available for private hire for small weddings and events, at no extra cost. Guests will just pay for food and drinks.”

Charlotte designed the interior of the restaurant, and describes the style as “traditional but with an on-trend London vibe”.

Chef Mark, who formerly ran a private dining business and restaurant pop-ups in Southbourne, said his speciality is twists on classics.

“My food is very taste driven,” he said. “I want to bring those emotional flavours of home using quality produce and great technique.

“We’re moving away from fine dining to a more casual affair –my dishes are very unfussy but they’re created with just as much love and care.

“I showcase all the local producers I use on the menu: Book and Bucket Cheese Company, Meggy Moo’s Dairy – I make my own butter using their cream – Bigwigs Bakery, Sopley Farm, Honey by Ian & Co, Dirty Dog Charcuterie, New Forest Mushrooms and Meadowbrook Produce.

“As soon as they have some produce, Four Acre Farm will be a big supplier – they’re fruit and vegetables are on another level in terms of taste.”

A meal that has so far proved popular is Mark’s twist on shepherd’s pie, which features slow roasted Indian spiced lamb, pickled root vegetables and golden turmeric mash.

“The most popular breakfast dish is the eggs Benedict – but I use sourdough to add texture and caper hollondaise to balance the richness,” he said.

“And my star lunch dish has been the cauliflower cheese and truffle soup with parmesan crumb – I challenge anyone who says they don’t like soup not to change their mind after trying this one.”

Mark added: “I’ve been obsessed with food for over 30 years, and Will and Charlotte have allowed me to pursue a life-long dream.”

For more information or to book a table, visit www.thepriory-restaurant.co.uk