Louise Ashley & Bideford Restaurant, The Mill Street Brasserie

Louise Ashley opened Bideford restaurant, Mill Street Brasserie in September 2021 after acquiring the former record shop in February of the same year. She then took on the challenge of renovating the building into what it is today.
The local community is at the heart of the Bideford restaurant. Louise sets the menu, using locally sourced produce wherever possible. Supporting Bideford’s Butchers, Greengrocers, fishmongers, even the gin is made in Bideford.
Louise Ashley’s journey to the popular Bideford restaurant.
Louise moved from Oxfordshire to North Devon in 2000 after spending all of her childhood holidays in Westward Ho! She’d made many friends in the local area, so it was an easy choice to make.
She went back to college whilst her children were small working in restaurant kitchens along the way.

In 2012, she bought the café Velvet and Vanilla and made it her own for nine years until Covid came along and things had to change.
The opportunity to buy 49 Mill Street came along and the potential was all she could see, so after 6 hard months of renovation and box-checking The Mill Street Brasserie opened its doors.
The Mill Street Brasserie was voted a 2023 Travellers Choice award on Trip Advisor.









