Rockfish is transforming alfresco dining for its Exeter Quay customers with the introduction of a private dining dome overlooking the water.
Part of its commitment to continually offer new ways to enjoy the Rockfish experience, the pod offers a unique way to eat outside while enjoying all the benefits of being warm inside.
The private pod seats six, is fully heated and is decked out with warm, white lighting, a table, chairs and cosy cushions. The dome opens for bookings next week and will feature a set menu.
Rockfish is also building on its reputation of being an environmentally-friendly operator with the introduction of dining chairs made from 100% ocean plastic waste, such as recycled fishing nets, ropes and debris collected from the sea. The world’s first commercially available chairs made with ocean debris, they can be disassembled and recycled once again at the end of their lifecycle. They will be rolled out across all of eight sites, starting with Brixham.
Commenting on recent developments Mitch Tonks, co-founder of Rockfish, says: “We are looking constantly at every aspect of our business to make sure we not only offer great hospitality always but are being as environmentally-friendly as we can. This can be quite a slow process, sustainability touches every part of the business. But when we see things that are a great fit, we’ll introduce them and try them out. This is the case with the chairs and the dining pod too.”
Despite closing for three months due to coronavirus, trade across Rockfish’s eight restaurants has almost all but caught back up, with like-for-like sales just 7% below last summer and that’s with social distancing measures seeing a reduction in covers. Rockfish takeaways, meanwhile, saw like-for-like sales up 40% as tourists opted for staycations and headed to the coast.
In light of this, Rockfish is pushing ahead with plans to launch a retail fish market at its flagship site in Brixham next month as well as reopen its Torquay restaurant in December after it was flooded during recent storms.
Mitch adds: “We feel tighter as a group and we feel as ready as we can be to move and change as guidance and rules move and change. We know that if we create safe places that offer amazing food and great hospitality then people can trust us and can come and relax, this is what we’re all about.
“We want guests to feel fully confident and reassured that the Rockfish magic is still there. With so many other things not available to us at the moment, we are all wanting that kind of experience if we can get it.”
