Valderrama’s to relocate as lease ends

London sports bar Valderrama’s – co-owned by 12:51 chef and Great British Menu 2018 winner James Cochran – is to relocate after its lease came to an end.

The site at 163 Upper Street in Islington has closed, however co-owner Dan Henry has said in a statement that the concept will reopen at a “bigger and better” site “in the near future”.

Henry said: “By now, you may have heard that Valderrama’s has shut its doors, though Valderrama’s will be back, at another location in the near future. The founders: James Cochran, Bryan Mayes and I, (Dan Henry), fully believe in the concept of a sports bar unlike any other sports bars, having created London’s first all-inclusive space to watch sport for all the community, with great food, and drinks finding a permanent spot for mine and James’ lockdown endeavour, Around The Cluck.

“The site on Upper Street provided the perfect testing ground to experiment and refine our concept, which we had no doubt would be a hit from the outset. Our 12 months lease, however, is at its end, and so we will look to bring back Valderrama’s, bigger and better, once the right site comes up.”

The team behind 12:51 restaurant, including chef Cochran, Henry and creative director Bryan Mayes, opened the bar on the same street as the restaurant last summer, which also housed Cochran's Around the Cluck fried chicken concept.

The bar’s retro interiors were inspired by Carlos Valderrama, the flamboyant former captain of the Colombian football team, built around football-inspired artworks and murals and Nineties nostalgia.

Photo: Martin Lomas photography