Family of ‘London’s oldest wine bar’ branch out
Rose and Sophie Gordon, the youngest generation of the eponymous venue in Villiers Street, have acquired a 923 sq ft site just five doors down, with Villiers opening in February 2014 offering coffee, breakfast and an all-day, informal menu.
Sophie, 28, will be overseeing the kitchen operation and creating the menus, while 24-year-old Rose will run the front-of-house and manage the wine list. Meanwhile their father, Tom Gordon, will work closely with them on business development and design.
“Providing good food and good cheer to Londoners is second nature to our family,” said Sophie Gordon. “Gordon’s Wine Bar is unique and whilst we are proud to be members of the Gordon family, Villiers is a completely separate venture, although we do hope to achieve the same level of success in the future.
“It’s always been our dream that our generation would one day carve out our own traditions of hospitality, and pure serendipity means we’re able to do so on the very same street where it all began for us.”
Sister Rose added: “We can’t wait to open the doors to Villiers and start this new chapter in the best way we know how – with good coffee, great wine and delicious food.”
London favourite
Tom Gordon is the son of Wendy Gordon, the current owner of Gordon’s Wine Bar, who took up the mantle from her late husband Luis Gordon. The venue is widely thought to be the oldest wine bar in the capital.
Cushman & Wakefield agreed a 25-year lease with the Gordon’s for this new venture, with the firm’s restaurant and leisure surveyor Matt Ashman claiming Villiers is ‘perfectly situated’ to take advantage of the street’s high levels of footfall.
“I’m sure in time this new venture by the family will become a London favourite in its own right,” said Ashman.
Villers’ design will take advantage of the historic building and atmospheric street, which was first laid out in the 1670s. A large marble-topped bar will feature at the front of the room, with food to take away throughout the afternoon. In the evening it will become a seated bar for drinking and table service dining.
Villiers will open at 31a Villiers Street in February 2014.
