The team behind new creative social market, STAXX, has organised a street food event later this month to raise funds for the project.
Taking place in the car park beside Codona’s Pirate Island Adventure Golf, the event has already attracted the attention of hundreds of people since launching yesterday, with 1,350 covers booked for the first weekend of the inaugural Backyard Beach Collective.
Running every weekend throughout May, the event, from Friday April 30 to Monday May 3, will take place over four days to accommodate those off on holiday for May Day. The following four weekends will run over three days. A total of 3,465 covers have already been confirmed for the month of May.
Organised by Michael Robertson and David Griffiths, the duo behind STAXX, Backyard Beach Collective is not just a fundraising opportunity for the firm, but has also been organised to support street food vendors who were unable to attend events last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Hoping to launch next year, the STAXX development will be over three floors and will focus on food, drink and retail with short-term and longer-term (up to three years) units available.
It will be built from repurposed shipping containers to become a retail marketplace by day and a social hub by night, with a vast array of local street food vendors and Aberdeen’s first rooftop terrace bar.
David said: “We’re going to be co-organising a street food and bar event which will showcase a number of local food and drink businesses. A percentage of the proceeds will go towards supporting the STAXX project and will help with the pre-land and pre-funding costs like legal costs and that sort of thing.
“There will be six food businesses including Smoke and Soul, The Sushi Box, Haydn’s Woodfired Pizza, Aberdam Dutch Fries, which myself and Michael have launched and will be running, and Dirty Dogs and Nancy’s Funnel Cakes which will be run by Codona’s.
“It will take place in the car park beside the mini golf, and because they (Codona’s) own the huts used for the Christmas market, they have taken them out of retirement for the summer.
“Codona’s are leasing the huts for a very favourable rent fee to also assist the food traders.”
Opening hours
Open 4pm to 10pm on Fridays, noon to 10pm on Saturdays and noon to 8pm on Sundays, the street food market will be open on Monday May 3 from noon to 10pm for a special bank holiday weekend date.
There will be 30 tables of six available to book. However, the event is selling out fast so those interested are encouraged to book soon.
“We’ll run it every weekend throughout May from Friday to Sunday, but we’ll also be open on the bank holiday Monday. We want to be able to give people something to do. I think people will really like this sort of event,” said David.
“We’ll have 30 tables that can be booked out in two-hour slots. For groups of six, they will need to be from one household so that everyone can socially distance, but for those looking to come down with other households, we’ll only be able to accommodate four people per table.
“It is dog friendly and children are also welcome, too.”
Food offering
With six different food vendors confirmed and a range of local gins and beers also available to try out, customers will get a flavour for what is to come at STAXX which will support local food and drink vendors, as well as fashion, arts and entertainment.
“Codona’s will be operating the bar but have really got behind supporting local. They will have frozen cocktails, gin from local producers The Teasmith Gin and Still River Gin, beers from Aberdeen’s Fierce Beer, prosecco, cider and more.
“We have six food vendors confirmed but we’re in talks with others who may end up doing a few weekends, too.
“There will be a one-way system in place for those who don’t manage to get a table to come down and get food to takeaway. Everyone who has booked for a table will be able to enjoy alcohol, but those who don’t have a table can come in for takeaway food, too. That is really more for the food vendors to be able to sell even more after the year they have had.
“They will be able to have a solid weekend of serving food straight after lockdown restrictions have been lifted. It will give them the opportunity to get out and get in front of people.”
Aberdam – Dutch fries
And if the duo weren’t busy enough working on bringing the STAXX concept to the city next year and organising a street food event, Michael and David will also launch their new venture Aberdam, a food business specialising in Dutch-inspired fries.
He added: “We’re launching Aberdam at Backyard Brach Collective. It is a new firm which is Dutch fries with around 15 different types of sauces. We’re investing our own money into getting equipment and ingredients for it, but the main idea is to be using all of the profit from it to help fund STAXX.
“This is a way for the public to support STAXX and enjoy delicious fries, too. We’re working for the public’s support – you’ll effectively be able to put your money into STAXX by buying these fries.”
Entertainment
While Backyard Beach Collective won’t have its own entertainment firmed up for the weekends, David says that there is plenty on offer at Codona’s with rides and amusements on their doorstep.
“There will be entertainment in the sense that Codona’s will be open and will have their go karts, mini golf and that sort of thing open. It could really make for a whole day out down at the beach.”
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