Back in August of 2011 we took a small shopfront in London’s West End and turned it into the city’s furthest westerly outpost of a burgeoning quality coffee scene — at the time almost completely focused around the inner East.
Just metres from the mayhem and clatter of Oxford Street, with its relentless crush of tourists, shoppers and the glaring gaudiness of high street and multi-national brands we dedicated ourselves to being a refuge from the noise and chaos, sharing great coffee, simple food and a genuine and humble hospitality.
Bringing great coffee to the neighbourhood was gladly welcomed by the local office community, and we’ve been constantly thanked for the brief respite and recharge we provide those visiting the nearby department stores. Wigmore Street, for these last years, has played host to our first coffeebar as well as our first head office, and has served us well as our home outside Clerkenwell.
But we’ve always known we were on borrowed time.
With property redevelopment being what it is in Central London, our lease has been on a short rolling renewal for some time. A few weeks ago we finally received word that plans for the property we occupy were moving ahead, and that it was time for us to move on. To that end, in early January we’ll be closing the doors to our Marylebone Coffeebar for the final time.
But, fear not. We’re not closing for long, we’re moving. And we’re not moving far, at that.
From the end of January, we’ll be delighted to open the doors on the next chapter of our West End operations, as we unveil our newest location at 1 Barrett Street, W1U 1AX — just 150 metres away from our Marylebone Coffeebar, further inside St. Christopher’s Place.
Working again with Ink Associates on design and construction, and this time with a little more space to play with, we’ll be updating and expanding what we’ve already established in the neighbourhood.
A five-metre long zinc-topped bar and extended glass food cabinet, combined with banquette and perch bar seating will set the stage for an expansion into a wider, more considered food offering, while the relocation of our espresso brewing machinery from Wigmore Street will ensure the continued service of the best coffee possible.
Added to our repertoire will be the larger scale Fetco batch brewed coffee that is proving so successful in our Holborn and Fitzrovia locations, allowing our guests the option to enjoy freshly-brewed coffee, served quickly and conveniently.
The very same team of Baristas and Bar Backs that you’ve gotten to know at our original location will be in place to welcome and look after you in Barrett Street.
As we begin construction work over the next few days it’s with great pride that we look back at our original West End experiment, and to the countless guests we’ve had the privilege of meeting, serving and getting to know. While the rest of the city readies itself to wind down for the Christmas break, we’re gearing up to build, polish and launch our latest venture, and to continue to share with the people of the West End — whether office workers, tourists or weary shoppers — what we consider to be the best coffee possible.
To opportunities new, and to safe and happy holidays for us all,
- Workshop Coffee Co.
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