The Dock turns patio setback into outdoor opportunity
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The Dock on Princess has expanded its outdoor patio, turning an unexpected construction setback last year into an opportunity to create a larger and more comfortable space for customers.
The Brandon restaurant’s patio is now four feet wider while retaining its original length, increasing its seating capacity from about 30 to approximately 50 people.
Manager Erin Wells said the project began after a problem was discovered at the start of last year’s patio season.
Erin Wells, manager of The Dock on Princess, sits on one of the couches in the pub and restaurant's new patio area on Friday. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)
“We were just getting the patio ready to open for the season and found just a small hole that needed fixing, and then that small hole turned out to be a much larger hole that needed fixing,” she told the Sun on Friday.
The entire patio had to be demolished, resulting in a temporary setup with picnic tables and a short fence that allowed the restaurant to operate through the season.
Rather than simply rebuilding the patio to its previous specifications, the restaurant decided to use the situation as an opportunity to expand, Wells said.
The renovated patio now features a new pergola at one end, providing a shaded and more enclosed area, along with new couches and tables.
A new bar along Princess Avenue also allows customers to sit on bar stools while looking out toward the street. The patio’s previous stone pillars and metal sections have been replaced with a lower, sleeker wall topped with glass.
The restaurant has also added a new outdoor server station, while new speakers and heaters are expected to be installed soon. The heaters are intended to make the patio usable for a longer portion of the year.
Construction was delayed by weather after permits were finally obtained in June. Persistent rain prevented concrete from being poured, followed by extremely hot conditions in July that created further delays.
“It feels like a long time, but it was more weather,” Wells said. “It did kind of take sort of most of July and August, just kind of with the weather delays.”
The project is nearly complete, with a few final additions still to come. A new illuminated sign above the patio doors was installed recently, matching the restaurant’s existing front sign.
Wells said the restaurant is also planning to add new tables and planters next year, but there are no immediate plans for another expansion.
“We might be good with this for now. See how we do,” she said.
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