Chesterfield pub owner plans to open new venue in town centre – replacing vacant former tea rooms

Ben Stephenson currently runs Brimming with Beer on Chesterfield Road, Brimington. He set up The Hop Lamp at the Glass Yard on Sheffield Road with business partner Darren Filsell, and has now taken over management of the Batch House food hall.

He has now confirmed plans to launch another venue on New Beetwell Street. The new Belgian beer cafe will replace the cafe at the H&F Furniture building, across from the coach station, after it closed back in May.

Ben said he wanted to maintain the feel of the building as part of this new project, and revealed the inspiration behind its name.

“We want to keep the open exposed beams and the wooden furniture and stuff like that. We’ve got the same team coming in that we have at the Hop Lamp, and we’ll have Duvel, Vedett, Belgian beers and a Belgian themed menu.

“It will be called the Devil’s Depot, which is paying homage to Duvel, who have Duvel Depot in Antwerp.”

The venue will be open for breakfast and stay open into the evenings, with menus currently created. Ben hopes to be able to open the doors next month, but said that was subject to change.

“We’ve had a couple of chefs in this week, they’re going to draw up a menu of what they’d like to do in there. We’re going to see where that takes us. Nothing is set in stone yet, but we’re hoping to have it open in late September. That’s the plan now.”

READ THIS: Chesterfield campaigner calls for evening buses

Ben added that he was excited to launch a new venue in the town centre, offering something unique to Chesterfield – and said that his experience made this project less daunting.

“There’s not an actual Belgian restaurant or bar anywhere, that we know of, in Derbyshire or Sheffield or anything. The only one we’ve been told about is in Southampton.

“It’s not as daunting. We’ve got the contacts and we’ve not got to ask people how to do things as we’ve got that information.

“I think that’s what everybody aims towards eventually, everybody wants the town centre location. It sort of puts you on the map.”