A taste of true Deep South barbecue cooking is stampeding into Nottingham after laying a smoke trail of success across Leeds and Manchester. Red’s True Barbecue is a new restaurant concept dreamt up by entrepreneurs Scott Munro and James Douglas that has taken the foodie scene by storm in the two northern cities.
They were inspired by the hunks of meat slow cooked in huge smoker ovens in America’s Deep South and launched their concept in Leeds and opened in Manchester earlier this year. Nottingham has been chosen as the site of the first Red’s True Barbecue in the Midlands.
In a deal secured Nottingham property consultancy, FHP, Red’s have signed a lease for premises on Queen Street in the city centre, close to the Market Square in an area where a series of successful new restaurant openings have taken place, with Bills, Wildwood, George’s Fish and Chip Kitchen and Barburrito all secured by FHP.
Red’s will carry out a £1.1 million makeover of the premises, transforming it into a unique restaurant environment with 160 covers. Scott Munro said:
“The gospel of true barbecue continues to convert UK food lovers. In under two years, and with just two restaurants, the Red’s experience has captured the imagination of almost 500,000 believers, introducing them to US-style low-and-slow smokehouse cooking. We are now spreading the word in Nottingham”.
Alan Pearson of FHP Property Consultants says:
“The deal is a coup not just for Nottingham but for FHP, Reds are an iconic brand with a great reputation. For Nottingham to be their third opening says a lot about the city”.
Red’s True Barbecue are on site fitting out the premises with plans to open for business in January 2015. It is one of a number of new restaurant openings and Alan Pearson says the arrival of a new wave of restaurants, cafes and bars concepts is strengthening Nottingham’s credentials as an all-round visitor destination. He commented:
“We have seen a real revival in the restaurant and leisure scene in Nottingham. Even though retail is changing, people are not deserting cities – if anything the opposite, because they are looking for an all-round visitor experience taking in shopping, eating and entertainment.
“You get a big helping of both eating and entertainment with Reds from the way the food is prepared and the sheer theatre in how it is cooked in the open kitchen. There is nothing like this and people are going to be wowed by the atmosphere and taste”.
