The Craft Beer Co has secured the leasehold of the former Trident Bar and Restaurant after agreeing terms with a private landlord.
The latest deal, which will be the multiple operator's seventh site, sees The Craft Beer Co move into area that founder Martin Hayes believes is “hugely under-provided for in terms of craft beer”.
Hayes said: “We’ve always wanted to take the business into the City, but until now, we haven’t found the right site. I always said that opening in Covent Garden last year would represent a ‘tipping point’ for the business, and I’m happy to have been proven right.
'World-class line-up'
"Since opening that site, our sixth, we have been inundated with offers of new sites to take the brand into. Our skill is picking the right ones. What has been interesting though, is how many landlords are coming to us with a view to us adding value to schemes they are working on or offering a good covenant for them in existing and generally underperforming sites.”
On the new site, Hayes said: “The Craft Beer Co. St Mary Axe, as we’re calling it, will have all the hallmarks of our other sites – great cask and keg beer on tap, backed-up with an amazing selection of bottled beers from around the globe. We will be bringing a ‘world class’ line-up of beers to the City.”
The site will open after a substantial refurbishment has taken place, and comes as the operator also aims to also move outside of its London and south east stronghold into other areas of the UK.