Seafront food hall to open in Brighton

Brighton’s Shelter Hall is being transformed into a seafront food hall, due to be completed early next year.

The multimillion-pound project has been ongoing for the past two years. When it opens it will be run by Sessions Market, a new company backed by Imbiba, and local designers We Like Today. It will be led by chief executive Dan Warne, previously managing director at Deliveroo, and chaired by restaurateur Graham Turner, who is also a non-executive director of companies including Ole & Steen, Barburrito and ETM Group.

The venue, which will be the city’s first food hall, will have space for up to 10 local operators, including restaurants, street food vendors and up and coming chefs from the city.

There will be seating for more than 250 diners as well as two bars, run by Sessions and serving locally brewed beer, including a Riddle & Finns Champagne and oyster bar within the street-level rotunda.

The project is expected to create more than 100 new full-time jobs for and vendors will be encouraged to offer apprenticeships. Plans also incorporate a space designed for local initiatives and activities such as music, art groups and film screenings.

Brighton and Hove Council leader Nancy Platts said: “We are really excited about this project which reflects our commitment to community wealth building – creating opportunities for independent local businesses, jobs for residents and ensuring that money spent in the city stays in the city.

“We also welcome the commitment from Sessions to using locally-sourced produce and working closely with many local groups including the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership and food waste company Karma, along with its support for our Living Wage campaign.

“Residents and visitors can look forward to enjoying the very best of Brighton & Hove’s diverse food offering, knowing that they are helping to support the local economy.”

Warne said: “We're incredibly excited to be chosen to deliver our ethically-driven, immersive, food hall concept to the much anticipated Shelter Hall seafront development.

"Sessions’ world-class vision combines the best food, drink and entertainment from the top and emerging food offers across Brighton & Hove. And we already have a number of the city’s favourite independent restaurants supporting our plans and ready to join us.”

Savills acted for Brighton and Hove City Council.