Due to open in late spring/early summer 2024, the former stable block, once used to house working horses, will house eight shop-fronted units, as well as two open courtyards, providing outdoor spaces for events and entertainment. Here's a run down of the eight operators announced for the site.
5. Southpaw Dance Company
Southpaw Dance Company will be one of the first tenants to move into the Sheepfolds Stables development and tie in with the site's future as an events space with its own stage. As well as hosting dance events, the company will have studio space at the site. Southpaw specialises in large-scale, outdoor dance extravaganzas and innovative and imaginative theatre productions. They are pictured here when Sunderland hosted the Tall Ships Races.
6. Yem
Yem will be serving up colourful cocktails at the Stables. Founded by life-long best friends Daniel Lemon and Ashton Williamson, who were both born in Sunderland, the venue will serve cocktails that make use of an innovative new 'smoking drinks' system from Sunderland-based business Jetchill, which uses dry ice snow to 'add some theatre' to the cocktails being served.
7. Vito's Osteria
Vittorio Farigu, who is currently executive chef at Gino D’Acampo’s popular restaurant on
Newcastle’s Quayside, will be opening Vito’s Osteria, which will offer small plates of cuisine, inspired by different regions of the Mediterranean country. The restaurant will offer more than 50 covers, and is Vittorio’s first foray into owning and managing a
restaurant.
8. Spey Snug
Spey Snug will be a whisky and cigar lounge from Speyside Distillers, an artisan distillery in Scotland’s Cairngorm Mountains. The whisky lounge, that will be decorated with rich heavy fabrics, a moody colour palette and bespoke leather furniture, telling the story of Speyside’s heritage – will serve up Speyside’s award-winning single malts, alongside its juniper enhanced gin and a range of cigars