Number 2 High Street has been at the heart of Ruddington since way back. When Glyn Thomas’s Greengrocers closed its doors in 2018, it sent a shockwave through the village and has been very much missed ever since.
Having now been in residence there for almost two years, Alex and Anthony Preston, the owners of The Bottle Top, have some exciting news they hope you will love, and which will bring back the ‘essence’ of Number 2.
The team at the new business have worked hard to bring something different to the village – including craft beer, zero waste goods, locally roasted coffee courtesy of The Split Screen Coffee Company and (in respect for the history of Number 2) a selection of plastic-free fruit and veg. During the COVID-19 pandemic – including three ‘lockdowns’ – we have seen them serve the local community by providing essential goods such as vegan items, gluten free goods and fruit and veg boxes that suited the changing needs of residents in Ruddington and beyond.
Alex and Anthony say: “We have been honoured to support our community during some really trying times and have been really humbled by the kind words and support from our customers. The highlight had to be winning Rushcliffe’s ‘Food and Drink Establishment of the Year’. We just didn’t expect it. Since then, we have been looking hard at how we can give back to our community and serve the growing needs of the village. The growth of our fruit and veg has to be at the top of the list and we are excited to announce that we are expanding!”
The Bottle Top exterior is currently undergoing repair to allow for an enlargement of the shop and making use of disused land at the back. The new addition to the rear of the shop will house a much wider selection of fruit and veg including veg grown on local allotments and a pick-your-own herb garden. Organic fruit and veg will make an appearance alongside expansion of the current zero waste station to include a nut butter machine (allowing you to make your own peanut butter on site) an oat milk refill station, baking station, pick and mix plastic free sweets and some oils and vinegars too. The list has not yet been finalised and Alex and Anthony are requesting that any suggestions are emailed over to them at thebottletopnotts@outlook.com.
Not only that, but The Bottle Top have teamed up with The Split Screen Coffee Company to offer sustainable wine solutions and hand selected whisky from the absolute best of makers. All of which will be available to sample at up-and-coming tasting events to compliment the beer tasting that already takes place.
The team are making links with local English distilleries and aim to offer something completely unique to the people of Ruddington, so you can do your bit to save the planet, support local businesses and reduce food miles while enjoying a wee dram. Wine will be provided on tap to allow the filling of your own bottles or can be purchased on a bottle return scheme which will earn you a discount similar to what is already in place on takeaway coffee.
Split Screen owner Jen Walker says: “We are really excited to extend our wine offering to include sustainable wine solutions – making those trips to the bottle bank a thing of the past! As with all we do, we are aiming to take the burden of responsibility off the customer and offer something totally unique to Ruddington. We are going to have a rolling system of Organic, Vegan, Natural, Biodynamic. You will be able to refill a drinking vessel of your own using our wine kegs – zero waste. You can also reuse the bottles repeatedly yet still sample beautifully curated wines from around the world.”
The extended shop space will allow for additional safe seating and see a better use of the outdoor spaces so that, with Coronavirus restrictions eased, customers can enjoy the onsite atmosphere and goods on offer in a safe and comfortable manner. Opening hours will eventually return to the extended late-night evenings once work has been completed and it is appropriate to do so in the current circumstances.
Work is set to be completed in the near future so watch this space for updates! You can expect to see samples of what is to come during your essential visit to The Bottle Top.
You can find The Bottle Top here:
www.thebottletopnotts.co.uk
@thebottletopnotts
www.thesplitscreencoffee.co.uk
@thesplitscreencoffee
