Historic Places

The Glass Boat, now one of the city's most established eateries, began its working life as the Yew Mead barge, hauling timber.

After years of labour it slowly started to break up in the Severn Estuary mud.

But rescue was at hand. In 1984 the Yew Mead was hauled from the mud banks and refitted, with the intention of becoming a floating botanical garden.

But a hitch with the local planning authorities required a change of description - to a floating café with plants.

As work continued the concept further evolved, until the Glass Boat finally opened as a restaurant in 1986 - and has been operating from Bristol’s historic dockside at Welsh Back ever since.

Owner Arne Ringner is creative about sustainability and the boat’s interior contains many reclaimed features and fittings from Bristol’s past, including the original marble worktops from St Nicholas fish market and the solid Burma teak doors from the old Royal Hotel.

In 2006 the boat was taken into dry dock for further restoration and this was an ideal opportunity to revamp the interior, with a contemporary glass extension to the stern end added.

The new exhibition, featuring giant atmospheric black and white photographs of the boat, shows its endurance and transformation, from sunken barge to romantic restaurant.

It runs from 10 October 10 until the end of November at neighbouring Welsh Back restaurant Spyglass, which closes for the winter and lends its interior as exhibition space.