The Eggletons hit Kickstarter goal as crowdfund enters final days

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Josh and Holly Eggleton's Kickstarter campaign to support the opening of their new restaurant The Pony Chew Valley has surpassed its initial £100,000 goal, with two days to go.

The duo, who launched the crowdfund earlier this month, said they are now hoping to reach their stretch goal of an additional £10,000, which will go towards heavy and light equipment for the cookery school, which will form part of the new multi-faceted venue planned by the brother and sister team.

At the time of writing, the Kickstarter had raised £106,977 from 440 backers. 

The Pony Chew Valley will be located on the site of Josh and Holly's popular The Pony and Trap in Chew Magna, which closed permanently last year having been launched by the pair in 2006, and also encompass a produce-led restaurant, event venue and kitchen garden.

Speaking to BigHospitality last year, Josh described the new project as very different to anything he had done before, with aspects such as hosting volunteering opportunities, with those involved in the schemes given lunch and a veg box in return, part of its operations.

“We’re not going to be a country pub anymore. I’m not even sure we’re going to be a restaurant,” he said. 

“The Pony Chew Valley will be about food education. I specialise in food, so I'm going to look at food inequality. That's what The Pony Chew Valley will be examining.”

He added that it would welcome people who would not normally have access to high-end restaurants by way of a volunteering programme. “We will work with our many partners in Bristol to get people here. The countryside is not accessible for some people in the city. I want them to come here and see how things are grown and how we prepare them.”

Supporters of the crowdfund can get exclusive access to book at the new restaurant and an invitation the restaurant’s opening garden party.

Earlier this month it was also announced that the Eggleton’s Pony Bistro restaurant in the Bristol suburb of Bedminster will close its doors at the end of the year to allow the siblings to focus on the upcoming relaunch of their Chew Valley flagship.