Take a peek inside the new Juniper restaurant in Shevington

A "British bistro" has opened its doors in Shevington.
Chris Crowell inside Juniper, ShevingtonChris Crowell inside Juniper, Shevington
Chris Crowell inside Juniper, Shevington

Juniper may have the same name as the previous restaurant on the site, but it is very much a new venture.

And head chef and owner Chris Crowell has promised a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere with quality food which he hopes will prove a recipe for success with locals.

He said: "My idea for it is a British bistro.

Inside JuniperInside Juniper
Inside Juniper
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"People can drop in and have a bite to eat, or if it's a special occasion we offer three courses. But if you just want bar nibbles and a drink, or a coffee, it's a welcoming place to come.

"We want to make it community-focused because there are a lot of homes in Shevington but there's nothing like this around here, so hopefully the locals will come in and enjoy it."

The lunch menu features nibbles (from £3.50), starters (from £4.50) and sandwiches (£6), with main meals such as fish and chips (£9), pork schnitzal (£10) and Wagyu beef burger (£13).

Juniper's dinner menu includes salads (from £7), pizzas (from £9), jerk chicken (£14), hake (£16) and sirloin (£21), while there is a vegan menu - complete with desserts - and a kid's menu.

Chris Crowell outside JuniperChris Crowell outside Juniper
Chris Crowell outside Juniper
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The drinks menu features Corona on tap - in stylish pint glasses - and cocktails.

Juniper originally opened as a gin bar and restaurant in 2018 but closed its doors just before the pandemic struck early last year.

Chris, who has no ties to the old business, said: "It's been on the cards for a while to come here but it's only been in the last three or four months we shook hands and decided to go for it.

"We've spent those months since getting it ready. I thought it was ready to move in and open, but as soon as we started decorating and making a few changes it wasn't long before it looked like a building site!

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"But all the work has been worth it - we're really happy with how it looks."

Juniper consists of two rooms downstairs, which can sit 20 people, with an upstairs eating area for up to 40 guests.

The original bar has been pushed back to create more room downstairs, and there is a stylish patio at the back overlooking the recreation field.

Chris has hired four full-time staff - headed by friend and long-time colleague Brandon Monk as his assistant manager to run the front-of-house - as well as four part-time staff.

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The 40-year-old hails from Burscough and after university, cut his teeth working in kitchens in France, Austria, USA, Jersey and Rutland before returning home to run the Blue Mallard, which he had for eight years.

Juniper is closed Mondays but open during the rest of the week, serving lunch from 12pm to 2.30pm, evening meals from 5pm to 8.30pm Monday to Thursday (until 9pm Friday and Saturday), and food from 12pm to 4pm on Sundays.

It is open for drinks during the afternoon - and until 10pm in the evenings - with plans in the pipeline for longer opening hours on Sundays, coffee and cakes in the mornings and potentially breakfasts at weekends.

Bookings can be made by calling 01257 253255 or visiting the website juniper-restaurant.com. They also have a new Facebook page.

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