Gilbies Bar & Bistro in Hereford to be renamed 2 Bridges

Gilbies, which is tucked away off Commercial Street in the centre, closed its doors last October.

At the time, it was run by Rob Stead and his wife Hayley, who took over in 2016. 

However, they said that the combination of Covid, ill health, the rising cost of suppliers and utilities, along with the declining footfall to the city, left them with little choice but to close the business.

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But locals will be pleased to learn that Gilbies will be back open from March 1 - with the new name, 2 Bridges. 

It will be open from 4pm, with a welcoming party and free canopies and live music from 9pm. 
The following day, the restaurant will be starting its first lunch and dinner, with a new menu being launched soon, while on the Sunday (March 3), there will be fire roasted dinners, with woodfire ovens and Argentinian grills, followed by live jazz music.

The bistro will be run by Mickey Provis and William Chambers, who were the ex-tenants and chefs of the Bridge, Michaelchurch Escley, and the Bridge Inn, Kentchurch, respectively.

Mr Provis, who opened his first restaurant straight after leaving university, was born and bred in Herefordshire, while Mr Chambers moved to the county after working in some of the word's best restaurants.

2 Bridges, formerly Gilbies, will open on March 1 (Image: Rob Davies)

"We have known each other whilst working in our pubs, often deliveries would end up in each other's pubs by mistake and quite often bookings would take the wrong turn too," said Mr Chambers. 

"But we have been working together since we left the pubs almost six months ago."
Mr Chambers added that that the pair were drawn by Gilbies' history and how big it is.

"When you are in Gilbies you are almost transported," he said.
"You could be anywhere in the world , almost like Gilbies has its own time. 

"Like the pubs, where we both simultaneously served local fresh food, prepared with a lot of love and served these alongside some fantastic drinks, you can expect the same level of care and attention to detail they both had there.

"But at 2 Bridges, we are going tapas and sharing plates, using all local produce with a continental flair. And like the pubs, if you just want to come for a beer or cocktail, the doors are always open."