Long-awaited £2m venue opens its doors

The businesswoman behind a £2 million luxury restaurant, beauty salon and mini spa destination says she is “absolutely thrilled” to be opening the doors after a “horrific” six-year journey to get to this stage.

Debbie Tams will officially open restaurant bar The Bistro Quarters at the new Beauty and the Bistro venue, in Basford, tomorrow lunchtime.

It follows many years of setbacks including problems with funders, planning and securing loans and a recruitment crisis in the hospitality sector.

Around 20 jobs have been created at the restaurant, and around 16 more staff will have been taken on by the time The Beauty Quarters gets up and running in Spring next year. 

Debbie, who at one point said she was rethinking her future due to plans for a now paused bus gate scheme near her business, told Daily Focus: “I am absolutely thrilled to have got to this stage and open the doors after all these years of battling. It has been worth persevering and all the angst I have been through.

“It has been an horrific journey and a constant battle with bureaucracy. The biggest challenge has been finding people to invest in this sector in this area – but the thing that has got me by was the old Churchill saying ‘if you’re going through hell, keep going.’”

The restaurant’s menu features the likes of short rib of grass-fed English Heritage beef, Cornish southwest lamb rump and Titanic ale battered haddock.

Executive Chef Mark Walker has previously worked for The Savoy Hotel Group and opened Manchester City’s famous VIP Tunnel Club Restaurant.

Debbie added: “We have gathered a great team and can only look forward now.

“Despite the rapidly rising cost of employment and high-quality ingredients, we still decided to keep our prices competitive so that we might become a destination restaurant for everyone.

“Despite the glamour and gold, our restaurant has a relaxed and friendly vibe, so we hope it becomes an automatic pop-in for a quality breakfast, lunch or dinner. We’ve also developed a great list of cocktails, some with recognisable names from The Potteries such as the Saggar Maker’s Bottom Knocker and The Spitfire.”

Guests are also invited to visit with their laptops during the day or stop-by for drinks.

A private dining and meeting room will also be available to hire soon.

The beauty side of the business will offer pampering such as manicures, facials and massages, and hairdressing together with results-driven rejuvenation treatments for anti-ageing, aesthetics and re-modelling.

A former Staffordshire Police Chief Inspector has been recruited to oversee the male grooming side of the beauty business.

Steve Thompson, who was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal and helped to support the policing of the London 2012 Summer Olympics across the country, got into the business after enjoying massage as a hobby.