Incipio Group to launch New York themed bar

We caught up with the operator’s marketing and sales director Anthony Knight on what guests can expect from the new neighbourhood venue located in the heart of Angel, Islington.

The central-London based bar, inspired by the energy of the Big Apple, will create 50 new jobs.

Influenced by New York’s vibrant food scene, it will also feature classic American comfort foods like wings and buttermilk fried chicken burgers, and there’s also a weekend brunch menu with classics like fried waffles.

Knight was excited about being “really playful” with the menu. The team will run events and initiatives: every Friday night at 9pm, guests will be treated to free pizza slices, as a way of driving footfall.

He said: “Every Friday night. We just wanted to have some fun. That’s a great way of getting people in, and students and young professionals up there.”

The drinks menu will complement the food and will include handcrafted cocktails. Knight is excited about the bourbon and American whiskies. The bar has teamed up with Buffalo Trace and has managed to get its hands on some limited-edition Pappy Van Winkle bourbon.

But there’s also an all-day offering – coffees, juices, smoothies are on the cards, but so are IPAs. There’s a “classic bar menu”, and customers can enjoy breakfast, brunch and lunch at site as well.

Angel had always been an area Incipio had kept its eyes on, and with “loads” of openings at the moment in the area, Knight predicted lots of competition.

But he said the operator had a loyal following in Angel and that part of London, and knew regulars and loyal customers will visit the venue, with Angel attracting a broad mix of young professionals, families and students.

The venue is also in a “great” location just minutes away from Angel station. It is open plan, flexible and versatile, and includes a bar area, lounge area, restaurant area, and places to play pool.

The interior design is influenced by the exposed brick work, concrete finishes and open plan living of a traditional Manhattan loft.

“We went over to New York, we've got pieces of art that we were able to acquire from street markets and flea markets over there,” added Knight. They’d brought back things like neon lighting.

Big statement furniture and lots of industrial touches are key, and there is lots of natural light that filters through floor-to-ceiling windows.

It’s a great place to relax during the days, with warm, comfortable lounge style furniture, but it’s also somewhere that’s exciting to spend the evening.

Knight said: “[We’re] trying to design a space which you can imagine yourself having coffee and pancakes in, but that the music takes you in and the atmosphere is good enough and exciting enough. It's absolute somewhere, you'd want to spend your night dancing around our DJ that will be playing each night.”

Incipio was committed to ensuring the bar’s performance stands out, and was investing financially and strategically in the site. The team had also been given chances to get hands on, with bar staff studying art commissioned to create artwork for the venue.

“We’re doing it on a budget, so we're being really smart, and we're trying to think outside the box of making sure we're creating a beautiful venue that we're proud of what reflects our aspiration, while being smart about the way we’re spending money,” added Knight.

Ed Devenport, chief executive of Incipio Group, expressed his excitement about bringing this unique concept to Angel. He said: "We are thrilled to introduce The 411 to the thriving community of Angel. Inspired by the transformation of New York's Soho district, The 411 captures the essence of creativity and energy, offering an unparalleled experience in a brilliant setting.”

BrewDog pulls into Amsterdam​

Aberdeenshire-based brewer and operator BrewDog will launch a site in Amsterdam Centraal Station in August 2023 in partnership with SSP Group.

The bar, which will be the first BrewDog in a travel location in mainland Europe, will feature views of the city’s famous waterways and will include iconic BrewDog elements like neon lights and ‘press for beer’ buttons.

The food menu will reflect the region, including the ‘Dutch Haystack’ breakfast with regional pork sausage, smoked streaky bacon, hash browns and forest mushrooms.

Beer will be front and centre. Guests will be able to enjoy BrewDog headliner beers alongside a selection from local craft brewers, as well as a choice of rare and exclusive beers sourced from BrewDog’s extensive range. The bar will also serve BrewDog’s classic alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks menu, which includes spirits, cocktails, wines, soft and hot drinks.

Blind Tiger Inns snaps up 2 pubs with Star​

North West pub operator Blind Tiger Inns is taking the leases of two new pubs with Star Pubs & Bars.

The pubs are the Argyll & Sutherland in Eastham, Wirral, and the Towneley Arms Hotel in Longridge, Lancashire.

The venues will undergo joint makeovers totalling £340,000 before opening under Blind Tiger’s management, increasing the operator’s estate to 20 sites – 19 of which are with Star.

Furthermore, the new sites will create 22 new jobs.

Read more here​

King Pins opens in Manchester​

Bowling and gaming experience, King Pins, officially opened its doors on Monday 17 July at Trafford Palazzo, Manchester.

The venue is designed for all ages with a variety of activities on offer including 15 lanes of Ten Pin bowling.

The new venue also features two independent food concessions - PLY and Little Bao Boy, as well as its very own dessert kiosk, Royal Treats. The full-service bar in the venue also serves a selection of bottled and draught beers.

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