Reverend J W Simpson is a copper-fronted cocktail bar on Goodge Street with a speakeasy basement that feels like stepping into another era. The venue operates across two distinct floors: a street-level bar with an industrial aesthetic and a hidden basement space designed for late nights and serious cocktails.
We delivered the full interior build across both levels, including the striking copper frontage that gives the venue its identity, the industrial bar interior, and the intimate basement speakeasy. Every material was chosen for durability as much as atmosphere.
The owners wanted a venue with two distinct personalities under one roof. The ground floor needed to function as a busy after-work bar with an industrial edge: exposed services, raw materials, and a bar that could handle serious volume. The basement was the opposite: moody, intimate, and hidden. A place you felt lucky to discover.
The copper frontage was non-negotiable. It had to make a statement on the street, something that stopped people in their tracks and drew them inside. And structurally, the basement conversion required careful attention to waterproofing, ventilation, and fire compliance.
The copper facade was fabricated and fitted by our team. Sheet copper panels aged and treated to give an immediate patina, mounted on a framework that integrated with the existing building structure. It is the kind of work that requires millimetre precision and careful handling; copper does not forgive mistakes.
Inside, we built the ground-floor bar from scratch: structural steel frame, timber cladding, concrete counter surface, with all plumbing and electrics concealed but accessible. The exposed-service aesthetic was carefully planned; every pipe and conduit routed deliberately, not just left visible by accident.
The basement was a more complex undertaking. We tanked the space, installed new ventilation and emergency lighting, built the bar, laid the flooring, and created the booth seating that gives the room its speakeasy character. Two very different spaces, built by the same team to the same standard.
Tell us about your project. We will give you an honest assessment and a clear quote.
Get In Touch WhatsApp Us