The Rockfish seafood restaurant chain in the South West have been doing very well – with the Restaurateur of the Year in June last year and a sustainable seafood award in October.
They took on the Drill Hall back in 2019 to refurbish it as a fish restaurant – but there have been delays since and promises to open made last November have not yet materialised.
Further plans from Rockfish taking on the Drill Hall emerged earlier this year – as they bid to buy the adjacent toilets as part of their plans for the Sidmouth restaurant.
They have just submitted their finalised design plans – with the blurb on their website giving a little more:
We are looking forward to opening a new Rockfish restaurant in the iconic Drill Hall in Sidmouth. We will be serving our signature sustainable seafood, landed in Brixham, seasonal side dishes and delicious drinks in this incredible location, and we are looking forward to becoming part of the thriving community in Sidmouth. We have submitted finalised design plans, which now incorporate the adjacent toilet block. The submitted plans honour the historic significance of the Drill Hall to preserve the working aesthetic and blend in with the character of the existing, neighbouring buildings on Sidmouth’s esplanade. The plans for the site now also include the redevelopment of the adjacent toilet block and the addition of new, more modern public toilet facilities for the town.
And a statement from their founder & CEO Mitch Tonks:
“I’m really excited about this incredible, historic location and about Rockfish joining the thriving community in Sidmouth. Opening a sustainable seafood restaurant in a seaside town, right by the water, naturally feels like the perfect fit. We’re also very honoured and proud that our works on the Drill Hall will go beyond the restaurant itself and provide a public service to those who live and are planning to visit this fabulous location.”
The full revised planning application should appear on the District Council’s website soon – but meanwhile, the details of their original application from 2019/2020 can be found.
The latest application is very much part of the company’s plans for expansion across the region.
Finally, for the longer-term view, there is the excellent Sidmouth Drill Hall Research Site.