A RESTAURANT has been opened by local owners serving British classics.

The Bower House opened it's 75 seat restaurant with rooms last week in the heart of Shipston

The restaurant is based on the High Street, and one of its owners Andrew Knight thinks that the pub will fill an obvious gap in the market.

Mr Knight said: "The Cotswolds, and the British countryside in general, have a wonderful surfeit of great gastro pubs and grand country house hotels, but very few good, democratic, proper restaurants.

"It’s a nonsense that it’s only London and the cities who want them, we all want a beautiful, welcoming room to sit in and to be served good food with warmth and understated attention."

The Bower House team has been put together, and its launch overseen, by Henry Harris, formerly chef patron at Knightsbridge institution Racine, and advisor to, amongst others, London’s Groucho Club.

The staff includes Michelin star chef Darren Brown and the menu reflects his cooking style, which he describes as 'modern British with a French twist.'

Six rooms at the restaurant including one family suite, will open next month.

The grade II listed building has been broken up into several distinct but interlinked rooms as the existing walls had to be retained, it had previously been several shops.

Mr Knight added: "We as the owners are locals and very proud of Shipston as our town.

"Shipston is not only beautiful with 17th century buildings rubbing alongside Victorian, it is a working town with a beating heart.

"Shipston is a living example of how independent local communities and business can thrive."

The Bower House restaurant is currently open for lunch from noon until 2:30pm and dinner from 6pm until 9:30pm, from Tuesdays until Saturdays.

It is open at noon on Sundays and closed on Mondays. Opening hours will expand once the bedrooms open in May.