Inception Group has invested in playful social distancing and PPE for its London-based concept bars, such as mannequins resembling characters from Around the World In 80 Days to fill empty tables at Mr Fogg’s Residence in Mayfair. Guests and staff may be asked to don beekeeping suits at Mr Fogg’s House of Botanicals in Fitzrovia, and gas masks will be worn at the post-war themed Cahoots in Covent Garden.
Sites 27
Reopening Mr Fogg’s Residence, 4 July
Covers Down from 40 to 20
Website www.inception-group.com
Pip Lacey and Gordy McIntyre of Hicce restaurant near King’s Cross have diversified their offering with Hicce Market in Coal Drops Yard, a market space in the Wolf & Badger store, ahead of reopening their restaurant. The market sells products produced by Lacey and the Hicce team, such as beer bread and gamblers (a sourdough base topped with deli ingredients), as well as from favoured suppliers. There is also a picnic menu inspired by the restaurant’s antipasti menu and a weekly changing meal kit to cook at home.
Reopened Market: 17 June; restaurant: 4 July
Head chef Pip Lacey
Website www.hicce.co.uk
Manchester’s Albert’s Schloss has installed a thermal imaging camera in preparation for the bar and restaurant’s reopening. The venue’s operator, Mission Mars, believes the technology will be crucial in giving confidence to both customers and staff.
The camera, installed at the entrance by technology solutions specialist Avoira, will automatically scan the foreheads of those wanting to enter and identify anyone with a raised body temperature. Reception staff will be immediately notified by an audio alert and a monitor above the bar’s welcome desk. Anyone with an unexplained raised body temperature will be politely denied entry and advised to seek medical advice.
Mission Mars will monitor use of the technology at Albert’s Schloss before deciding whether to introduce it at other venues in its portfolio.
Opening 4 July
Operator Mission Mars
Website www.albertsschloss.co.uk
The five-red-AA-star Rockliffe Hall near Darlington in County Durham is set to reopen this weekend with slight changes to its usual offerings. The spa team has created takeaway treatments, with ‘spa in a box’ skincare kits. A Champagne and cocktail trolley service will be offered, and guests will be able to dine on the various patios and terraces around the buildings, as well as order picnic hampers. There are also plans for an outdoor pop-up bar.
Reopening 4 July
Bedrooms 61
Website www.rockliffehall.com
The St Moritz Hotel & Spa in Cornwall is opening a socially distanced pop-up restaurant for the summer. The individual dining rooms are all accessed from outside, and service is provided from a central atrium. Food and drink will be delivered to the private dining rooms via a set of hatches, and menus will focus on Cornish produce.
Opening 5 July
Interiors Absolute
Director of restaurants Jonathan Domé
Covers 16 private dining rooms, seating between two and eight each, with a maximum of 160 covers
Website www.stmoritzhotel.co.uk
Attawa restaurant in London’s Dalston Junction was originally due to open in March but has instead launched as a takeaway and collection service. The redesigned menu focuses on the dishes from the Punjab region of Northern India, designed by MasterChef: The Professionals 2019 semi-finalist Arbinder Dugal. Attawa is the name of the owners’ family village in Punjab, where they lived until relocating to London in the 1970s. The Madhrays hope to open the dine-in restaurant in mid-July.
Opened 10 June
Owners Ravinder and Amar Madhray
Typical dishes Amritsa khatta ladoo (fried lentil dumplings); Punjabi chicken kari; lamb sheek
Website www.attawa.co.uk
Natalie Tangsakul, who was due to open her first restaurant Talad in April, has instead launched the site in London’s Chelsea as a deli, selling Thai storecupboard items along with fresh produce and bakery goods. Produce is available for collection or delivery and includes curry pastes, marinated meats, salads and homemade kombucha, as well as pastries such as passion fruit brownies.
Opened 27 June
Owner Natalie Tangsakul
Typical dishes Hung le (chicken or chickpea wild ginger, masala); dayboat-catch nam prik pao
Website www.taladeatery.com