Vickery Holman property consultants have announced that Devon businesswoman Mavi Vicente has taken on the lease of a property by the River Tamar and will be opening a Spanish restaurant, bringing a taste of the Med to Plymouth.
Acting on behalf of the owners Peter Castell and Tina Parker, property agents Vickery Holman ran a campaign earlier this year to find a tenant. Michael Easton from Vickery Holman comments ‘Peter and Tina had set up a very popular business, but with the last couple of years giving them time to think about the future, they had decided on scaling back running of the site and thought an investment would be a good option for them. Mavi made an approach almost immediately and provided a strong business plan and concept.’
Peter adds ‘Tina and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time in Saltash, originally buying what was then The Boatman in 2015. More recently we wanted to invest in and protect the listed historic building, whilst freeing up some of our time for other projects. We are currently just finishing off the extensive replacement and repair of the external walls, windows and door. It is an important building not only for us, but is often commented on by customers and visitors, and features in a 1811 painting by Britain’s most famous artist Turner, which can currently be viewed at The Met in New York.’ Tina continues ‘Being one of the oldest buildings in Saltash we are keen to protect it’s future, and as the oldest hostelry we wanted to ensure that there was a continuation of the quality food offering. Hispania Tasty by Mavi will no doubt be a great success and having seen what Mavi is planning we know it is in safe hands.’
With plans to create the new format over July and a target opening for 1st August, Mavi and her husband Rueben cannot wait to get the business going and to welcome customers old and new. ‘This has been a dream of mine for so long and we will start with a soft launch to support the Saltash Regatta at the end of July and offer home cooked paella to take away. We know that there is a demand for our style of food and have great support to date. Hispania will bring Spanish tapas, paella, sangria and the vibrant flavours of Spain to Saltash. We are decorating right now to combine traditional Spanish elements with modern design creating a cozy and charming environment.’ Mavi was born and raised in Salamanca where she learnt everything about Spanish food, working in the family restaurant, before setting off to work with different chefs all around the country to learn many recipes and to follow her passion for cooking. Having moved to the UK in 2017 Mavi has always wanted to start up her own restaurant and cannot wait to open. Hasta pronto!
Michael continues ‘This is further proof that despite a tough winter, which has been well reported, there are some green shoots and the past 2 months have in fact been far busier that we anticipated. The new opening for Maria this month is in addition to the Pattard’s Restaurant, Hartland reopening Vickery Holman have dealt with, a brewery site in West Cornwall and a camping site near Marazion. With a number of deals currently under negotiation we are pleased to report that the hospitality sector once again shows itself to be very robust despite these challenges.’
