![\"Artistic](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0_TCBR270226ClftnBRI.jpg\")
<\/p>\nIt’s been five years since the old WHSmith building was demolished<\/p>\n
Artistic sketch of the temporary pop-up restaurant in the heart of Clifton Village(Image: Speare Developments)<\/p>\n
A site in the heart of Clifton Village that\u2019s been empty and unused for years could soon have a \u2018temporary pop-up restaurant\u2019 – with the developers who have bought the site preparing plans for a permanent building there by the end of the year.<\/p>\n
The site was once a small precinct of shops between Clifton<\/a> Down Avenue and the Clifton Arcade, and later hosted an ice rink for a couple of winters in the 2010s. In 2021, the buildings there were demolished<\/a> and for the past five years it\u2019s been empty and fenced off, as a succession of planning applications<\/a> to build offices, homes and shops there have failed to get off the ground<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now, a new developer called Speare Developments say they have a new plan for its future which they hope to reveal later this year, but in the meantime, they have submitted a planning application for a temporary \u2018pop-up\u2019 restaurant to go there.<\/p>\n If this gets permission it is expected to be in place for a couple of years, while Speare try to get planning permission for their permanent plans.<\/p>\n \u201cThis site has been derelict for too long,\u201d a spokesperson for Speare Developments said. \u201cA pop-up restaurant presents an exciting opportunity to bring the site to life and improve its appearance whilst we develop permanent plans.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Development of eyesore Clifton site is scrapped in ‘disappointing’ update<\/a>READ MORE: Fresh hope for Clifton Village’s empty eyesore site<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe want the site to be open and active again, not fenced off and forgotten. There\u2019s still a long way to go. As with any brownfield site, there are complex technical constraints that have the potential to affect the viability of a temporary scheme, but we are working through them,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n \u201cWith that being said, we are serious about making this area better and we\u2019re excited to explore Clifton\u2019s strong identity as we prepare plans for the site’s long-term future,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n The vacant former WHSmith in Clifton Village(Image: Bristol Live)<\/p>\n Speare said the restaurant would be \u2018designed to complement Clifton Village’s tapestry of independent traders\u2019. \u201cSpeare Developments has been actively engaging with local businesses to understand how a new restaurant could work collaboratively with the existing community,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhilst the name and the operator are yet to be finalised, the pop-up restaurant is expected to operate for approximately two years while plans for the permanent development are formed and a planning application is decided.<\/p>\n \u201cLong-term plans are expected to include a residential-led scheme with a mixture of ground floor commercial uses,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n Want to see more of the stories you love from BristolLive?<\/strong><\/p>\n Making us your preferred source on Google means you\u2019ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add BristolLive as a preferred source, simply <\/strong>click here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0_TCR_BRI241123SmithsBRIjpeg.jpg\")
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