And it’s now a drinking destination thanks to the launch of No Regrets, a blood-red speakeasy hidden in the bowels of British rock ‘n’ roll jeweler Stephen Webster’s recently opened boutique.
No Regrets doesn’t have an Instagram account or a website. You won’t find its reservations number online. The only way to gain access is down a little staircase tucked away at the back of the store. “I think people like that fact it’s a bit secret,” says Webster with a chuckle. “They think, ‘we can disappear here.’”
The bar is a collaboration with two of Webster’s old fiends: chef Mark Hix and bartender Nick Strangeway, two famously convivial veterans of the British food and drink scene. Also on the team is Stu Bale, the mixological whizz behind drinks studio Crucible. It’s highly likely you’ll find at least one of these chaps in the bar on any given night.
The mood is dark and decadent: velvet banquettes-meets-candlelight. But in true Webster style, there are also playful details: a trio of iced mini martinis comes on a silver tray engraved with the words ‘Enjoy Your Flight,’ while the jaw-dropping golden toilet is worth a visit, too.
Other signature cocktails include a sour cherry-spiked negroni and an English twist on the margarita, made with blackcurrant and lemon verbena instead of citrus. Everything is served in exquisite glassware, over crystal-clear ice.
The menu is a rollcall of great British producers – Capreolus; Pleasantland; Vault. The house fizz is a traditional-method sparkler by English winemaker-of-the-moment Dermot Sugrue. Five-star bar snacks include sausage rolls, caviar with blinis and Mark Hix’s own smoked trout with soda bread.
Webster has also laid on a record player, with vinyl from his own stash. “We’ve got rock, reggae, Motown, a bit of everything,” he says. “I hope people will have a look through and pick out what they want. Or even bring in a record of their own.”
On the other side of the room is a cabinet stocked with Webster’s more rock ‘n’ roll designs, hardware that’s adorned the fingers, wrists and necks of stars ranging from Ozzie Osbourne and Steven Tyler to Elton John and Madonna. Some examples of Webster’s homewares range, which includes ornate knives and cocktails sets, are also on display.
The tininess of the bar makes it very sociable. Within minutes of arriving I find myself chatting to a couple at the next table. He’s an artist, I learn, and we soon discover we have musical friends in common. “In that way, it’s less like a bar and more like a living room,” says Strangeway, “or a room in an old-fashioned pub.”
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Because of arcade closing times, the place keeps funny hours – it’s officially only open 2-7pm Tuesday through Friday. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself getting swept-up in a spontaneous lock-in.
“I’d like it to feel a bit like stumbling into one of those amazing bars you find in Ginza in Tokyo,” says Strangeway. “You have to unravel things a bit to get there. I want people to come in, put some vinyl on, have a nice drink, maybe a little snack and just lose track of time.”