Ring in the New Old Bell
Are you ready? Expect small plates, whiskey cocktail flights, white, red & sparkling wine flights and dessert/fortified wine flights in the new Old Bell.
Claire Wakefield is bringing a new style Old Bell in Bell to Henley, creating a grown up and intimate space that you can enjoy with your partner, your friends or of course on your own. Talking to Claire it was a cool, secret bar in Bermuda that fuelled the idea of what she wanted for The Old Bell. Think speakeasy vibes or an old smokey, jazzy, private members club feel.
Experience Henley has had a sneak peek inside the oldest building in Henley (c.1325) and it’s having quite a lovely transformation. Cosy nooks, sumptuous seating, a nod to history and great ambience is what awaits The Old Bell’s new customers when it re-opens on 4th July.
Claire says that we should expect low key, low lighting with fabulous cocktails, no massive menu but a small menu of things done really well. A really intimate space and introducing her rule of ‘if we don’t have a seat for you, we don’t have the room for you’. We don’t want to pack in as many people as possible, or for customers to fight their way to the bar.
Claire has worked in restaurants ever since she was a teenager and has always wanted her own business. She moved a lot growing up, Hong Kong, the UK, across America which has influenced her greatly and has now come back to settle in the UK.
Claire is planning a menu of small plates and dishes incorporating the use of her in-house smoker and apparently her smoked mac ‘n’ cheese is tough to beat! Just great bites to eat with your glass of wine, whiskey cocktail, top class rum or beer.
So if you fancy one more drink or a late one in a grown up place that means you can hold a conversation with who you are with without bursting your ear drums from the music, The Old Bell will certainly be a regular stopping point.
The Old Bell opens on Saturday 4th July.
