Articles
Originally published on Tuesday, 27th September 2011
The Tunnel Of Love
London Fields Brewery, The Old Vic Tunnels & Topman’s General Store lead the march for the arch
There’s a trend for local tunnel set-ups in the air. In this age of craft-over-chaingang ethics and rent issues, perhaps this isn’t so surprising. But we’re totally loving it.
Our last real tunnel love was surely Maltby Street – Bermondsey’s beloved railway arch alternative to Borough; its old brick-clad archways lending themselves perfectly to the market’s baking, brewing and cheese-aging.
But now, after a successful soft-launch, London Fields Brewery is making a run for the crown of best-beer-from-a-local-tunnel. Also set in railway arches – this time in London Fields – their ‘Love Not War’ was even made while barricading themselves in from the riots! Plus, we need one of their takeaway four-pint demijohns: £12 to take home; £10 to refill. Local rates – nice.
Down beneath Waterloo Station, meanwhile, The Old Vic Tunnels are upping their subterranean ante with The Minotaur. A collaboration between Lazarides and Kofler & Kompanie’s Pret A Diner concept, think two weeks of culinary pop-up set within an underground maze of mythological art with a three-course dinner from Michelin-starred chefs, Nuno Mendes, Matthias Schmidt and Juan Amador.
Alternatively, if you’re lacking an archway to hand, try the stripped back, bare brick, refreshingly sparse faux-tunnel effect of Topman’s new General Store boutique. (We won’t get into the whole ‘independent Shoreditch’ rant.) It’s been co-curated by Matthew Murphy (of bStore) and packages itself very much as a sort of more affordable Albam – surprisingly inoffensive colour-blocked chinos, ‘Heritage Fit’ tweed, chunky knitwear – feeling every inch the (almost) subterranean secret.
And people say sticking your head in the ground doesn’t work.
Info
Topman General Store is open now
98 Commercial Street, E1 6LZ
The Minotaur runs Oct 10-25, 7pm and 9pm, at £75
