riverstation has its roots
in the mid-1970’s when John Payne & Shirley Anne Bell opened Bell’s
Diner – with early use of fresh locally sourced and grown produce (some grown
on our own allotments in the summer of ’76) and
a dedication to quality food and wine in a comfortable setting.
Peter Taylor joined the partnership in the mid 1980’s bringing the essential
skills of an expert flavoursmith and keen interest in and knowledge of wine.
By the mid-1990’s the partnership was looking for a new site which would
be more central & offer the opportunity to create the larger, more contemporary
& exciting dining space that Bristol needed.. The 1950’s built River
Police Station offered a dockside location with an exciting opportunity for
a spacious, light & ambitious 2-storey bar & restaurant..
riverstation opened in December 1997.
PRESS download images: 1 2 3 4
PRESS Hires images zip file1
"What looks like a completely new waterside building of very nautical character is in fact the conversion of a former river police station - hence the name. It involved flooring over an internal slipway and dock to create extra floor space, and extending the building at first floor level over what was a flat roof. Works were designed to ensure minimum interference with the listed quay. All this has been done with a sureness of touch which makes the result seem inevitable - especially the waterside elevation with its large windows and balconies with canvas awnings looking out over the water, and a roofline evocative of shells, waves or sails - but instantly identified with water and ships.
Internally the impression is of cleanness of line and a limited palette of high quality materials. The upgrade covered both materials and performance - better thermal and acoustic performance, for instance. Unlike many bars and restaurants these days, riverstation does not have noise bouncing back and forth from surfaces and furniture. It is a delightful place to eat in, and a delight to look at from the water or Redcliffe bank. Creative re-use at its best." Bristol's Twentieth-Century Buildings by Tony Aldous published by Redcliffe Press Ltd
