Chantelle Nicholson looking to reopen Tredwells as a multi-functional space in a neighbourhood location

The chef restaurateur opened Tredwells as part of the Marcus Wareing group of restaurants in an operations role in 2014 and became sole of owner of the business back in 2018. She had initially been looking at the City for the new location for the restaurant, but says that the Coronavirus pandemic has changed her feelings and that she is now looking for a more neighbourhood location.

“The grand plan has been to move it,” she says. “The biggest reason was we opened it as a Marcus Wareing restaurant, that was how it was designed.

"While that worked at that time, in order for me to feel like I can move it forward I want it to be put into a place that is a bit more me and that aligns with my ethos of running a sustainable and regenerative restaurant. Being slap bang in central London it is pretty hard to do that.”

“I’ve been looking to move at since the end of last year. It has a very masculine kind of design, it is very Marcus, and for the long term I want something that is more me to be able to drive things forward.”

The newly located Tredwells, which is being dubbed Tredwells 3.0, will be designed as more of a community hub than being just a restaurant, says Nicholson, with space for community events.

The intention is for it to also have a cookery school that will teach aspects such as health and nutrition and a retail element as well as serve food to go dishes. Given the Coronavirus pandemic, it is unlikely that the restaurant will be in its new location until next year, says Nicholson.

“I had originally planned to reopened just the restaurant until all this happened with Coronavirus,” she says.

“The time off reflecting has made me see what is needed in the world and from a business perspective what things are more pertinent and important. To be able to have a space that is quite dynamic and flexible is ideally what I would like.”

The original Seven Dials restaurant, which Nicholson now refers to as Tredwells 2.0, will reopen on 6 August with a “semi-upcycled refurb” to give the dining room some warmth. Its reopening menu is described as being “pretty concise” to begin with and will change regularly with the focus remaining on British, seasonal ingredients.

The restaurant will be strengthening its current supplier relationships and forging new ones,” says Nicholson. “It is important to me to be more involved in the local community, with a social purpose.

"And then adding into the mix, I also have a load of ideas to trial in regards to other projects within the Tredwells orbit.

“So, Tredwells 2.0 is on track, with the now 3.0 version still in the pipeline.”