Blending a century of history with a unique take on modern dining, Colchester’s newest restaurant The Cells opened on Monday 10 August.
The new eatery, located underneath the old magistrates’ court in West Stockwell Street, is the only restaurant in the country to be set underground in former cells. What’s more, each of the six cells has been given its own theme to ensure diners have an unforgettable experience.
The Cells is the brainchild of restaurateur couple Stephanie and Gabriel Pacheco, who also run Memoirs and The Counsel coffee lounge in West Stockwell Street. Gabriel explained that he and his wife wanted to offer Colchester something completely different, with diners given the choice between medieval, haunted, Victorian, graffiti, padded and mortuary themed rooms:
“The environment is unusual in itself, but we decided to add to that with our themed rooms,” he said. “That way, our diners will have a meal out they’ll never forget. We’ve already had a lot of interest from people hoping to hold parties here – it gives them a chance to try something new to celebrate a special occasion.”
Diners will also be able to find out more about the history of the cells, which were in use as part of Colchester’s magistrates’ court for more than 100 years. The magistrates’ service moved to a new purpose-built block at St Botolph’s Circus in 2012, with the listed building lying empty since then.
Stephanie added: “We’re so excited about opening our doors to the public. We’ve put our heart and soul into creating something really special for Colchester and we can’t wait for people to come along and try it out.”
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