Three independent Twickenham businesses have joined forces to create a new weekend food and drink destination at The Stables Café in the grounds of Orleans House Gallery.

Since the start of July, the courtyard has been hosting alfresco dining, locally sourced drinks and guest food traders, offering residents a relaxed spot to enjoy summer evenings.

The collaboration brings together The Stables Café, Brewery Market and Italian chef Francesco Tribuzii, with organisers hoping the series will showcase the best of the local independent business community.

The idea came from The Stables Café owner Peter Nolan, who wanted to make more of the café's unique setting by creating a welcoming outdoor space for food, drink and socialising.

The first guest chef is Francesco Tribuzii, formerly of the acclaimed Italian Job in Chiswick, which built a loyal following for pairing authentic Italian food with craft beer.

His four-week "Al Fresco with Francesco" residency sees him serving fresh Italian dishes on Friday evenings throughout July and into August.

Meanwhile, Church Street's Brewery Market is running a summer drinks pop-up from a converted horsebox every Friday and Saturday, serving local craft beer, cider, perry, sparkling mead, wine and alcohol-free options, with recommendations to complement the food.

One of the more unusual drinks on offer is Pyment, a blend of mead and wine made using orange blossom honey, which the team says pairs particularly well with Francesco's Italian cooking.

Details:

• Al Fresco with Francesco – Fridays from 5pm on 17 July, 24 July, 31 July and 7 August
• Brewery Market Summer Pop-up – Fridays 2pm to 10pm and Saturdays 2pm to 7pm

For Brewery Market founder Linda Birch, the collaboration perfectly captures the spirit of Twickenham's independent business community.

She said: "The craft beer world is surprisingly small. Years ago I used to visit The Italian Job as a customer because I loved what they were doing.

"Now, thanks to Peter's idea for The Stables, we're working alongside Francesco, and we've since discovered we have mutual friends. It really is a small world."

Rather than competing, the three businesses say they wanted to create something that benefits everyone.

Linda added: "Independent businesses face enough challenges without trying to compete with each other.

"When people work together, everyone benefits, especially the customer. We hope people will come along, discover somewhere new, meet the people behind the businesses and simply enjoy spending time in this lovely courtyard."

The organisers say the Friday evening programme will continue throughout the summer, with different independent food traders joining the line-up in the coming weeks.

Nolan is also inviting other local food businesses interested in hosting a Friday evening pop-up to get in touch.

The Stables Café's courtyard is fully accessible, family-friendly and dog-friendly, with free parking available on site.

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