Brooklyn-inspired bar group Ruth & Robinson is hunting for its second London site after establishing its first bar at Clerkenwell.
Paul Garner, who previously set up Hawthorn & Hill – another Imbiba-backed group, said the focus of future bars could shift away from craft beers towards other specialised drinks offerings.
The first bar, called The Fourteenth Colonie, serves 45 beers and is expanding its on-tap range and looking to collaborate with more brewers for special events to showcase the beers.
It is now looking across the capital for a second site; Garner said he is looking at sites in Soho, Shoreditch, Camden and Hamstead as well as neighbourhood areas such as Crouch End and Muswell Hill where he foresees having stronger weekend trade than Clerkenwell.
The Imbiba-backed group has plans to open eight London venues with a structured rollout plan to open the second site before the end of this year followed by three bars opening in 2016, two in 2017 and one in 2018, which Garner said will hopefully place the bar in an attractive position for a potential buyer.
Each site will be inspired by trends emerging on the Brooklyn bar scene with the flexibility to have a different specialty drink range to showcase wines or cocktails.
“The whole thing was to be on the ball and bring things over to London as they happen not after it has been seen in several other places already,” said Garner.
