Thousands welcomed by Sheepfolds Stables in opening week

Thousands of guests have visited the hotly anticipated Sheepfolds Stables in Sunderland after a successful launch last week.

Crowds queued outside the £4 million social and leisure development ahead of its doors opening last Friday, August 2, with the queue tailing back to the Stadium of Light at its peak.

Visitors enjoyed a range of live music, DJs and food and drink, served up by a mix of independent operators.

A breakdance competition was also organised by Southpaw Dance Company, which has made modern studio space at Sheepfolds Stables its new HQ.

Si King of The Hairy Bikers, who is due to hold pop-up events at Sheepfolds Stables in the future, officially opened the venue alongside Rick Marsden, managing director of Building Design Northern Ltd (BDN), developers of the Grade II listed site.

Nigel Wood, Sheepfolds’ general manager of operations said: “The turnout on our opening night, the launch weekend and the week to follow has been absolutely phenomenal, and we would like to thank all those people who have come down and showed their support.

“There has been a lot of hard work and effort gone in behind the scenes to create a venue of this high calibre and quality, and to see it all come to fruition with the most amazing atmosphere and high turn-out of people has been exceptional.

“We have a jam-packed schedule of live music, sports, pop-up shops and events going forward, and we’ll soon be welcoming many supporters through our doors before and after SAFC’s home matches and to watch on the big screen.

“We’re open seven days a week and whilst anyone can pop in for food, drinks, a pint of Pit Pony or just to have look at the site, we highly recommend making reservations with our individual restaurant operators given their popularity.”

The former stables building dates back to 1884 and now includes Ember, Vito’s Osteria, The Calabash Tree, I Scream for Pizza, Spey Snug, Mother Mercy and Deep North.

Two main bar areas – The Taproom and Back of the Pit, are fitted out with many original features retained. Both serve specially crafted ‘Pit Pony’ Helles lager, exclusive to Sheepfolds Stables, as part of an iconic collaboration with VAUX Brewery.

An outdoor entertainment space with stage, large outdoor screen and seating areas, is paved using approximately 30,000 original cobbles, all lifted, cleaned and re-laid by hand, completing the site’s unique hospitality offering.

More information can be found via Sheepfolds Stables’ website at www.sheepfoldsstables.co.uk