New restaurant Chapel Chophouse and Bar Stony Stratford holds opening night party

The new restaurant Chapel Chophouse & Bar celebrated its official VIP opening earlier this month as it prepares to open in Stony Stratford in a historic building in the town.

The event on Thursday 17 September saw more than 300 guests attend an exclusive launch event, welcoming more than 300 invited guests, including the Mayor of Milton Keynes, Cllr Paul Trendall, local businesses, celebrities such as Gail Emms, influencers, friends and supporters who have followed the transformation of the landmark former chapel.

Chapel Chophouse & Bar opens in a landmark 17-century former chapel located in Stony Stratford, which had previously been the home of the Calcutta Brasserie Indian restaurant.

The evening gave guests their first opportunity to experience Chapel in all its glory following an extensive transformation of the site.

As part of the evening, guests were welcomed with live music from a string quartet, while entertainment throughout the evening included dramatic fire breathers, a DJ and an interactive photo booth.

Guests were also given a first taste of what Chapel is all about, with guests able to experience the new bar and restaurant and see first-hand the new approach taken to the historic building.

Leigh Strathearn, joint owner of Chapel, said, “It’s been an unbelievable journey to get to this point. There has been an incredible amount of hard work behind the scenes and seeing more than 300 people here enjoying Chapel on Thursday night made every bit of it worthwhile.

“There are so many people we need to thank. The team behind the build have worked extremely hard to deliver what we had in our heads when we first took on the building, and we’re hugely grateful to them. We also want to thank our new neighbours for their kindness and toleration for the noise and disruption.

“Finally, thank you to everyone who came along on Thursday and supported us. The reaction has been incredible. Chapel is a very special building and we wanted to create something that Stony Stratford and Milton Keynes could be proud of. Thursday night felt like the start of something really exciting.”

The VIP launch showcased many of the defining features of the new restaurant, from its striking historic architecture and atmospheric interiors to its raised bar, booth seating and carefully designed dining spaces.

At the heart of Chapel is its chophouse menu, with a focus on quality British dry-aged steaks alongside a carefully selected range of dishes designed to make the venue as much a destination for dining as it is for drinks and special occasions.

While the doors are now officially open, the team says there is plenty more still to come. Over the coming weeks, Chapel will introduce a dedicated lunch menu and children’s menu, while traditional Sunday roasts will also become a major part of the offering.

The venue has also confirmed that it will be open on Christmas Day, giving guests the opportunity to celebrate Christmas inside one of Stony Stratford’s most distinctive and atmospheric venues.

Leigh added, “Opening night was a huge milestone for us, but it really is just the beginning. We’ve got lots more planned and we want Chapel to become somewhere people can visit for all sorts of occasions, whether that’s lunch, dinner, Sunday roast, drinks at the bar, a celebration or Christmas Day with the family.

“The response so far has been fantastic and now we’re excited to welcome everyone through the doors.”