Last year Whiteladies Road was in a sorry state.

The recession claimed some of the most well-known names on

the strip such as Henry J Beans, Colleys Supper Rooms, Quartier Vert and

FishWorks, as well as high street stalwarts like Woolworths and Bottoms Up.

Empty stores became a common site from the top of Blackboy

Hill down to the Triangle.

But the past six months has seen something of a renaissance

in the area as a number of new businesses have opened and continue to do well.

Richard Smithson, owner of independent Aqua restaurants, opened a new place

on Whiteladies Road in February in the Grade II listed building where Colley’s

was, and says business is booming.

“We opened in the middle of all that snow we had

back in February, and as the recession was kicking in," he said.

“But we have been really busy since the get-go and it’s only

getting busier, lunchtime and evenings.”

Across the road from Aqua renowned restaurateur Mitch Tonks

has opened The Rockfish, where his former enterprise FishWorks floundered.

Further up Blackboy Hill the Black Bear (which has been many things down the years, Bohemia, Stark, etc.) closed down after Christmas but has now been re-opened as the King's Arms, which is what it started life as more than 100-years-ago.

A good number of businesses have opened this year including

Deli Delish on Cotham Hill next to the well-established Chandos Deli,

and the Ad Hoc party/gift shop took over half of Kingsley Thomas estate agents,

next to the Penny Farthing.

Further down Whiteladies Road the former tequila bar is

still undergoing refurbishment but is soon to open as Papaji’s House of Teas,

Henry J Beans was taken on by the BSB (Bristol Stylish Bars) chain, and what

was Quartier Vert is now Penfolds bar.

As well as that The Orchid Singaporean restaurant has opened

where the Lotus Chinese used to be, and the legendary Henry Africa's has become Sasparilla.

So it seems things are definitely improving as we look ahead to

moving out of the recession, with any luck by some time next year.

On the downside there is still the former ABC Cinema

development which has been a long time in coming, the Big Bang sausage restaurant, next to the Picture

House is still empty and the former petrol station site which lies dormant

and boarded up.

Mr Smithson said the current downturn is the third recession

he has experienced in business, but believes if the product and the price are

right it is possible to get through the bad times.

He said: “People question whether it is the right time to

open a restaurant, especially with so many closing on Whiteladies Road recently.

“But when we opened, our pricing structure was developed to

take into account what has happened with the economy.

“This is my third recession so I have a lot of experience in

how to deal with it. Building customer loyalty is key, which is about getting

the product and the price right, but also treating people well and making them welcome.”