Visiting The Beach Club again, I attended their regeneration event where they invited guests to listen to a talk on the beachside bar/ restaurant and the future of what it might look like after the rebuild. I was initially happy to mingle with people after such a long stint of no social gatherings but walking home I thought about the owners and what they have put into this venture.
TBC stands for The Beach Club but it also stands for 'To Be Confirmed' as when the owners Ian, Toby and Adam invested into this business they knew right from the word go that this building was going to be a temporary measure that would have to be designed and built again as part of the whole Southsea Coastal Scheme project happening over the next 5 years. That in itself is a huge weight to bear whilst taking on an old site that needed refurbishment and a new focus. The boys didn't let that stop their enthusiasm though as they could visualise this location as a place of interest that would sit for years to come with the most spectacular views across the Solent and the Isle Of Wight.
Inheriting a building that has to change its structure has its challenges but TBC is appreciating at this time all the hard work gone in so far by the design team that brought a whole new freshness to a dull building that stood before. Now that their newness has settled down, so have their teething problems in getting the service, the right amount of chefs, and front of house right.
When TBC first opened, it was in the middle of the Summer after a long pandemic that left the hospitality industry on its knees. Finding staff on all fronts was tricky at a time when so many people wanted to get outside and enjoy the fact we weren't in a lockdown anymore. All of a sudden crowds of people wanted to eat out, feel free from any restrictions and definitely be free from the virus! There were a few problems on-site at TBC when opening at such a difficult time because hiring good quality chefs and front of house was hard to achieve across the whole industry but the team got there and is in a good place right now.
I can honestly say after visiting this last wknd on a busy Saturday that the service was so good. The waiter was friendly, knowledgeable, and fun! You could tell he loves his job and the food came pretty quick! We all had different dishes but were all impressed by what we had! I had an Italian beer called Poretti which hit the spot and I imagine will be popular when the weather heats up! Like Oysters? There is also an Oyster option now where you can try them for £10 for 3 and share with your friends.
One thing I have loved is the new menu featuring breakfast and brunch which I tried a couple of weeks ago. I loved being able to walk there on a Friday morning and capture the essence of the sea while tucking into a great plate of food. Having an extensive breakfast menu now with a great choice I opted for the Avocado On Toast which had a lovely twist of feta with chili and I had some kind of caramelised onions on mine, topped off with some fresh powerful rocket to ping those tastebuds into action. There is also an option for pancakes and 4 different ways to have them so you have plenty of choices as to what time you visit this place and when you are going to look at that incredible view where the sun sets so beautifully in the distance looking out towards Gosport.
Over this year will be ticketed evenings where you can book and enjoy specially curated events. Have a look here. There is also room for hiring out this entire spot to celebrate birthday parties and special occasions that you might have happening in Southsea. Imagine the view, the dancefloor, Blondie smiling at you while you explore the cocktail menu!
Creating the serving hatch for beach walkers is a great addition that I love about this spot. You can stroll along the seafront and grab a very good coffee or hot drink and then head to the beach, just perfect for those days you want to stroll or even hop on the hovercraft to the IOW.
At the moment, The Beach Club is closed due to the storms we have had over recent weeks. With the prominent position facing the sea it is important to get the design and protection right for years to come so keep supporting this business and look out for the Storm Hut that is open now where you can get your hot drinks and food served all day from 9am until 5pm . The restaurant will then reopen on the 1st April which will be great to see! Remember going forward the building of the TBC might have to change but the incredible view out to the solent will always be there!
Check out the socials below for more detail on menu's and events.
