WORK is well underway on a much anticipated new bar and restaurant set to open at Birmingham's Mailbox, by an entrepreneurial Redditch couple.

After fighting off competition from some of the UK’s leading chain restaurants, husband and wife team Adam and Theresa Freeth secured the former Bar Room Bar site at the Mailbox, and are due to open Gas Street Social in March.

The couple, who founded the Shaker Group, a respected authority on bartender training and cocktail culture, in 2001, say they cannot wait until the opening.

"We’re really excited to unveil the finished restaurant," they said.

"The team has put a lot of hard work into this project so we can’t wait to see it all up and running. We can’t give too much away about the launch itself, but we are planning some activity that will give you a taste of what to expect, including a pop-up stand at the Mailbox with the opportunity to find out more about us.

"We’ve brought together a fantastic team to create an incredible design and food and beverage offer, which we believe will be a great addition to the new Mailbox and Birmingham’s world-class culinary scene.”

The restaurant will serve up a mix of home comforts and European sharing cuisine, alongside a speciality drinks menu.

Designed to be shared amongst friends, family and colleagues, diners can enjoy a range of sharing dishes, grazing boards, small plates, stone-baked flatbreads and locally sourced meats and seafood while enjoying a selection of regional and international craft beers and wines.

The couple, who have one other bar in London, said: "We pride ourselves on our attention to detail, and with our experience in bar consultancy we’re confident that we can deliver exemplary service alongside our specially selected food and drink.

"We’re looking to deliver character and an element of theatre to Gas Street Social, which has been inspired by the industrial and cultural context of Birmingham’s rich history and is modelled on the concepts of sharing and socialising."

They added: "It wouldn’t be a Shaker venue without our cocktail menu, which will deliver some of the best and most creative cocktails outside of London, including handcrafted signature creations and sharing drinks created by our award-winning Shaker consultancy team."