Speightstown In Style
On the north-western shores of Barbados in the parish of St. Peter, you will find a quaint little town that has been fashioned for centuries through its rich history. Founded in the 17thCentury this town was once called Little Bristol but is now known as Speightstown.
At first glance, its main artery Queen’s Street, resembles your average town as it is lined with banks, stores, museums and restaurants. However, beyond its commercial entities lie several beautifully architectured structures overlooking the clear waters of the Caribbean Sea.
Fisherman’s Pub has been a cornerstone of the Speightstown community for more than half a century. Styled like a traditional Barbadian rum shop, this popular dining spot welcomesvisitors and locals alike to its picturesque seaside location in the heart of the town.
Nearby, you will find three significant landmarks that are perfect for picture taking and relaxing: the Speightstown Esplanade, the jetty, and St. Peter’s Parish Church. Tucked away just beyond the Church is PRC Bakery known for its authentic Bajan bread. With a wide range of local pastries, this small one door shop is big on flavour.
Another gem of Speightstown is The Orange Street Grocer, which opens out to the mile-long oceanside boardwalk. Owner Nick Viera admitted that the quaintness of the town inspired the choice of location for the rustic seaside themed bistro. Speaking about the 12-year-old business he said, “Our fashion was to have a market bistro or deli bistro where you could come, have lunch and purchase specialty items. We also wanted to promote local farms and focus on providing farm to table meals which have a Mediterranean flair.” Viera further noted that the town was recently selected by the Inter-American Development Bank for its Living Heritage Programme in recognition of its food, culture, entertainment and art.
Speightstown’s allure continues to attract new investment as is evident by the recently opened restaurant, the Local & Co. Styled with antique décor, guests are immediately transported back in time to a place of old-fashioned comfort and relaxation. Co-owner Julie McNeelexplained, “The building dates back to somewhere between 1780 and 1810 and we onlyrealised how truly gorgeous it was after we began to uncover its coral stone walls and embellished brick. That dictated our renovations because we were very inspired to preserve the historic nature of the building while bringing it back to its splendour.”
The Barbadiana themed indoor seating area, called The Library, is decorated with local antiques. Fashioned to resemble a tradition Bajan living room, it tells a story of the Barbados of yesteryear and sits adjacent to the marketplace fully stocked with local artisanal works. The authentic historical feeling extends beyond the lit rum bar to the ocean front veranda outdoor seating.
Located a few doors down is the beach bar One Eleven East which was established after owner Martin Clifford saw the potential in the town. “We were drawn to the town initially because of its history, quietness and potential. So, we bought a house in Speightstown 20 years ago because it had a great framework as a community to live in and as a tourist destination.”
Recently, The Outpost pop-up beach bar has been in operation on location at 1.11. However, Clifford revealed that beyond the beach bar, planning permission was granted for a 10-room boutique hotel which will focus on surf, sail and paddle. White, minimalistic and clean linesare the vision for its ocean inspired style.
For those seeking relaxation while in the town, The Outpost at 1.11E is the place where you can come for a drink but stay for the day. Manager Brendon McKenzie noted, “The Outpost is about beach culture and it’s a place for everybody to come and be themselves. We’re pet friendly and through our music we seek to fuse European and Caribbean styles.”
The Outpost at 1.11 offers dining on the deck or beachside. The wide drinks menu is complimented by a customised food menu catered by pioneers in the local food industry Yelluh Meat, best known for their breadfruit bowls. Co-owner Dwight Forde explained that as they represent the most authentic Bajan food they wanted to show Speightstown what Yelluh Meat has to offer.
Almost 20 years the Archers Hall Design Centre, owned and operated by sisters-in-law Monique and Terri Archer, was established in a seaside building originally used as a saloon and bar in the 1700s. Filled with unique furniture pieces that offer value for money for almost two decades, the retail store was recently gutted in September 2020. Monique explained that though all was lost in the fire, the tragedy fashioned the opportunity to redesign the business and refine its offerings, resulting in less retail space due to a new lounge area.
Preserving the authenticity of the original 400-year-old structure has been a focal point of the rebuilding process. Monique said, “We worked hard to keep what we could of the building; those walls are purely decorative but now we are adding windows to let in more light. At the back the windows to the sea will give clients an inspirational ocean view from the design studio.”
Beyond architectural styles, art and history come to life in Speightstown on its busy main street through the Gallery of Caribbean Art and the Arlington Museum. The former has been in operation for over two decades and features the work of local and regional visual artists depicting all elements of Caribbean life. The latter, which has been rated in the top five local attractions, has been operated by the Barbados National Trust.
So, Speightstown is a must visit destination for everyone in Barbados. Whether you’re a local or visitor, on business or pleasure, the gregarious easy-going nature of locals within the town coupled with its history, architecture, beauty and charisma are sure to fashion a lasting impression and keep you coming back to this northern treasure.
