Josh and Holly Eggleton's Pony Bistro to close on Christmas Eve

Josh and Holly Eggleton’s Pony Bistro in Bristol’s Bedminster is to close on 24 December.

The venue, which first opened as a pop-up in May 2021, will be offering a Sunday Roast menu and summer menu until it permanently closes its doors to the public on Christmas Eve.

It comes after the siblings launched a crowdfunding campaign to open the Pony Chew Valley restaurant, wedding venue and cookery school in September on the former site of their Pony & Trap gastropub, which closed last year.

Commenting on the closure, Holly said: “The modern British restaurant was an opportunity which presented itself out of the blue. We were really excited by the project and we simply had to do it.

“The timing couldn’t have been better – we knew we were going to embark on the refurbishment of the Pony Chew Valley at this point, so it ensured we could keep our entire Pony team in a job in the interim. It’s been nothing short of amazing having this venture to focus on while the Pony Chew has been under refurb.”

Josh added: “For us Pony Bistro represents a few things: a fun pop-up project, a chance to have a restaurant in Bristol, and the ability to create a space that is more modern, which is reflected in both the menu and atmosphere.

“Our time at the Bistro ending is bittersweet, but there are still a few months in which guests can come and enjoy lunch or dinner with us.

“The Pony Chew Valley needs our full focus now, and so naturally we’ll all return to the Pony Chew Valley to ensure everything is totally on point! And we’re really excited to get back to the flagship, our home.”

Pony Bistro was longlisted for a Menuwatch for the 2022 Cateys.