In the Insta Age of social media, weird and wacky rule. And in London this seems to have no limits. From fashion, to music and art, the boundaries are being pushed further back in a bid to send the world a-tweeting. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the many bars and restaurants that line the capital’s streets, and in recent years we have seen a flurry of establishments open whose main drawcards are not what lands in your dish or drink, but rather where you have landed and how you landed there. An old air-raid shelter (Cahoots), a Victorian loo (Cellar Door), a cocktail den hidden behind a looking glass (Looking Glass Cocktail Club) or even a bookshelf at the back of a whisky shop (The Vault) – operators are looking for quirky spaces that will offer their clientele compelling experiences that will surprise and delight.
Surprise is certainly a word I would associate with a visit to a new scheme KLM Retail has been appointed to market, Bridge Master’s House. The ‘surprise’ came from being told that we would need to be lowered on safety equipment into the vaults under Tower Bridge - not for the faint- hearted (!!). But like the hidden cocktail dens in Soho, what lay beyond was a delight; an underground reservoir hidden under the vaults of Tower Bridge, and at river level a former mess house and delivery yard enclosed under a spectacular glass roof, to create a fabulous restaurant site.
As London retail and leisure specialists, we often see landlords renovate and reinvent a space to create a distinctive destination, but rarely does one become available in an iconic London location. Ok, Tower Bridge is hardly a secret. And the operators we are speaking to are just as concerned with customers enjoying their top notch cuisine as they are with them enjoying the spectacular view and the ambience. But without a doubt this truly is something worth talking about.
Find out more about Bridge Master’s House http://www.klmretail.com/property/bridgemasters-house-tower-bridge-london
James Andrews is a Partner at KLM Retail with almost 30 years of experience in retail property. He has advised on a wide range of projects including London Estate Strategies, Shopping Centre asset management, High Street developments and retailer expansion and portfolio strategies. Contact: jandrews@klmretail.com
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