The Calf’s name is a pun on the group’s existing site at the complex – the Cow, which opened in December last year and is already very busy. The pop-up will be 100m away, one and a half times the size and will open for six months from 1 June.
Westfield bosses approached Geronimo Inns founder Rupert Clevely with the idea. “They have been very supportive of us,” said Clevely.
“It is an opportunity to cash in on the Olympics and is just an opportunity that came up. We are very excited as it is something totally different, fun and creative. We have got to open it at very low cost and drive it very tightly to maximise profit or there is no point in doing it.
"We would normally employ staff four weeks before opening but thime time we will bring them in two or three days before, get the back bar and kitchen set up and hit the ground running.”
The Calf will be “totally different” inside as it will be decorated with corrugated iron and “old” equipment such as tables and chairs as the group is minimising spend on it. It will hold 150 covers and he expects to serve around 2,000 people a week once it is up and running, in comparison to the Cow’s 1,200, which is at capacity.
Clevely expects running costs for the Cow to be two or three times as much during the Olympics, factoring in extra and overnight staffing costs to cover deliveries between 1am and 5am and staff bonuses.