Former Penarth Michelin star chef James Sommerin has opened a new restaurant in Barry.

The Shed by James Sommerin is Mr Sommerin’s latest venture and is a 30 cover restaurant.

It is owned and managed by Head in the Shed Limited – which was formed by Mr Sommerin and his wife Louise, alongside investors Liam Murphy and Sarah Weaver.

In July Mr Sommerin said he was devastated to have to close his Penarth seafront restaurant following a difficult financial period exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic.

The new restaurant occupies the Victorian railway building in Barry which was developed by award-winning DS Properties Limited. It is designed as a modern and contemporary eating destination with the philosophy being centred around the industrial heritage of Barry.

It has been developed by local craftsmen using locally sourced and reclaimed materials.

Mr Sommerin said: “These are uncertain times for everyone, but the hospitality and leisure industry has been hit particularly badly by the pandemic. However, we’ve got to keep moving forward and with the help of the Development Bank or Wales and Visit Wales, we have now opened our next venture with contingency plans to ensure that we can adapt to social distancing measures as they evolve. This includes offering a take-away and delivery service alongside the main restaurant.

“With the support of our funders, we’ve got the confidence to invest and look forward to a successful future, whatever the coming months bring for us all.”

The business was able to get under way with help from a £50,000 loan from the Development Bank of Wales and a £60,000 grant by Visit Wales. Funding has also been given through the Rural Business Investment – Micro and Small Business Fund of the Welsh Government Rural Communities – rural development programme 2014-20. This has been funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

The Development Bank of Wales’ Donna Strohmeyer said: “James is a highly regarded and talented chef with a brilliant following. He deserves success and I can’t think of a better location than the Goods Shed for his new restaurant. As the UK’s first urban street where people are able to live, work and play, this is a community and a destination in its own right that will be a wonderful home to James and his team.

“Importantly, James also has the backing of Visit Wales so will benefit from additional marketing to attract visitors. It’s a compelling proposition that we are delighted to be supporting.”