Sunderland’s Sheepfolds Stables will celebrate its first birthday on Saturday August 2.
In the last 12 months, more than 68,000 pints of Pit Pony lager and over 20,000 cocktails have been served at the venue. There have also been 350 live gigs, while circa 23,250 slices of pizzas, 29,000 homemade pies and more than 40,000 doughnuts have been enjoyed by visitors.
Welcoming thousands of customers through its gates week in week out, the independent Grade II-listed venue has become a massive hit with visitors from the city and beyond.
An estimated 11,000 guests have attended more than 180 corporate and private events, while jobs for some 100 staff have been created.
The historic venue has also become a major catalyst for growth for Wearside and the surrounding area, supporting Sunderland City Council’s Riverside Sunderland regeneration masterplan and encouraging other local organisations to invest, launch and grow as part of a wider business community.
Sheepfolds has also received national media recognition as well as industry awards, including being named Commercial Property Development of the Year and Refurbishment/Fit-Out of the Year (North East Property Awards 2025).
The monthly Local Heroes food market, which supports independent producers and traders, has also become a hit – while the venue has become an unofficial, family-friendly fan zone for thousands of SAFC fans going to games at the neighbouring Stadium of Light.
Rick Marsden, managing director of Building Design Northern (BDN) which developed Sheepfolds Stables, said: “We could never had envisaged the response that we’ve had and the support that people have shown over the last 12 months. It has been incredible and for that I would like to thank everyone who has made Sheepfolds Stables what it has become today – our staff, our customers, our operators, our partners, our suppliers and the local business community. Your support has been unwavering.
“Everyone has really taken Sheepfolds Stables to their hearts, and this was very evident on our launch weekend where the bars, the plaza areas and the restaurants were full and the queue to get in tailed back to the stadium. It was immense and amazing to see, and we’ve never looked back since.
“Sheepfolds Stables brings something totally unique to a city that is rapidly on the up, and we are very much looking forward with many more things planned, especially once the new Keel Crossing opens and the Riverside Sunderland development continues to take shape.
“As well as the hospitality side, we are now a popular choice for corporate and private events too which also attracts new audiences to the city. The venue’s heritage and history are without doubt a major pull and somewhat of a tourist attraction too, so we also plan to promote and educate more people on that, especially welcoming school groups and young children.
“It’s an exciting time and we’re very much creating the next chapter in Sheepfolds Stables’ legacy.”
The success of Sheepfolds Stables is also down to its eclectic mix of independent operators. For some, the venue has provided the perfect launchpad to open their first venture, scale-up or expand their business into Sunderland. This has included Propa! by TV personality and Hairy Biker Si King, which opened in December 2024. Meanwhile, Ember has recently been named in the Good Food Guide, while The Calabash Tree has been shortlisted for Uber Eats UK Restaurant of the Year. I Scream for Pizza’s top three pizzas – Brooklyn’s Finest, NY Cheese and Buffalo Soldier – have sold 23,238 slices alone; while Deep North, which has also established a popular run club at Sheepfolds Stables, has sold more than 40,000 doughnuts. Mother Mercy has sold more than 20,000 cocktails; performing arts and dance company Southpaw has engaged with some 3,500 people; Vito’s Osteria has served more than 23,415 diners; and Spey Snug has sold 177 bottles of its finest whisky.
Rick added: “We could not do this without working collaboratively, hand in hand with our site operators. Every one of them brings a very different, high-quality offer that really defines and sets Sheepfolds Stables apart and that was deliberate from the start. It positions us at the fore of the North East’s culinary and cultural scene, attracting visitors from far afield who want to enjoy a very different, first-class social experience – it’s a great mix.
“Not only that, our Spey Snug by the award-winning Speyside Distillers and Southpaw, one of the best performing arts companies, complement our bars and restaurants further by bringing a premium whisky brand and a thriving cultural aspect to Sheepfolds. It’s a close-knit team and we are very much looking ahead to enhance Sheepfolds Stables further and firmly place it on the map.”
