Pony Chew Valley Kickstarter surpasses stretch goal as crowdfund closes
The crowdfund, which launched last month, closed earlier today (2 September) with a total of £115,126 raised from 522 backers.
Its initial goal of raising £100,000 was passed earlier this week, with the Eggletons saying at the time that the aim was to surpass the stretch target before the crowdfund closed.
The Pony Chew Valley will be located on the site of Josh and Holly's popular The Pony and Trap in Chew Magna, which closed permanently last year having been launched by the pair in 2006, and will encompass a produce-led restaurant, event venue, kitchen garden and cookery school.
Speaking to BigHospitality last year, Josh described the new project as very different to anything he had done before, with aspects such as hosting volunteering opportunities, with those involved in the schemes given lunch and a veg box in return, part of its operations.
“We’re not going to be a country pub anymore. I’m not even sure we’re going to be a restaurant,” he said.
“The Pony Chew Valley will be about food education. I specialise in food, so I'm going to look at food inequality. That's what The Pony Chew Valley will be examining.”
He added that it would welcome people who would not normally have access to high-end restaurants by way of a volunteering programme.
“We will work with our many partners in Bristol to get people here. The countryside is not accessible for some people in the city. I want them to come here and see how things are grown and how we prepare them.”
Last month it was also announced that the Eggleton’s Pony Bistro restaurant in the Bristol suburb of Bedminster will close its doors at the end of the year to allow the siblings to focus on the upcoming relaunch of their Chew Valley flagship.
