We left graphic-design careers in London with a dream of opening a bike shop and restaurant. With plenty of energy and enthusiasm, but meagre funds and little experience of retail or catering, we began refurbishing an airy industrial building on the floating harbour in Bristol…
Our love of bikes and food has helped us keep up with cycling and restaurant trends over the years. We’ve seen chain restaurants open and close around us, and we’ve lost a lot of sales to online businesses who cut prices and sell boxes out of sheds. But thanks to our amazing team and loyal customers, 2019 saw us celebrating Mud Dock’s 25th anniversary.
Some happy Mud Dock memories…
1993
A building is found, walls are knocked down and a big round window is installed.
1994
Mud Dock Cycleworks and Café opens. We sell our first mug of tea. Tom Jaine, editor of The Good Food Guide, gives us a pretty good food review in The Telegraph.
1995
Mud Dock is featured in the World of Interiors. We are regional winners of the National Small Business Award. We build our first deck overlooking the harbour.
1995
Fashion guru Paul Smith makes a TV programme at Mud Dock and sponsors our team.
1996
The Festival of the Sea is held on the harbourside – and we’re in the middle of it. We buy a Dodge Ram as our team truck.
1997
The All Blacks eat at Mud Dock Café, the night before their match at Ashton Gate.
1997
Dave and Ade are on the front page of MBR (but not in team kit!). Our MTB team, sponsored by San Miguel, compete in and win the National Championships.
1998
Mud Dock Café wins Café of the Year in Cafés of Europe by Roy Ackerman. World Champion Graeme Obree launches the city leg of the Prutour at Mud Dock. Paul Smith designs our team kit. We win best-dressed team.
1998
We commission portraits of key staff and regulars by Chris Simkiss, which then appear in the Independent Saturday Magazine.
1999
Paul McCartney holds a book launch at Mud Dock.
2002
We organize a pétanque tournament to raise money for the Children’s Hospital.
2003
Mud Dock Bike Shed opens with secure parking and showers. We build our second deck.
2004
We celebrate our 10th anniversary.
2005
More great reviews in national mags and papers.
2006
The writer Will Self pays us a visit. Matt pops up on the cover of Seven, and in an article in Life magazine.
2008
We host a Rollapaluza roller race, and our Duncan clocks the 5th fastest time EVER. Jamie, head of the maths department, realises he’s been with us for 10 years.
2010
We organise Mudstock – a festival for all things cycling
2013
We commission artist Stewy to make Bristol themed stencils of Brunel, Darth Vader, DJ Derek etc.
2014
Mud Dock celebrates its 20th anniversary.
2015
We partner up with Le Sportif to host regular road rides.
2016
We record our busiest ever year in the Café. Rapha base their Prestige ride for the South West at Mud Dock.
2017
We record our busiest ever year in the Café – again! Mud Dock becomes Brompton’s biggest retailer in the South West.
2018
Jamie realises he’s been with us for 20 years. We host the Tour of Britain team during the Bristol leg of the race, and host the Zwift + Wahoo King and Queen of the Mountains race night in the Café.
2019
Our 25th anniversary party brought friends, staff, suppliers and customers old and new together for an unforgettable night.
