The 4,400 sq ft bar, on Clapham High Street, will be the company’s fourth new Dirty Martini site in 18 months. It follows openings at Bishopsgate in September 2013, and Monument and St Paul’s late last year.
Clapham also marks CG’s first Dirty Martini venture outside of London’s Zone 1, a move chief executive Scott Matthews said was “in response to customer feedback and demand for the hugely popular brand”.
Matthews explained that the new Clapham site will very closely resemble the other Dirty Martini sites while ensuring it also has its own individual touch.
“We are extremely excited to be taking Dirty Martini south of the river to Clapham, where consumers have a huge appetite for our unique offer of high quality cocktails, glamorous interiors and famous Happy Hours,” he said.
Dirty food
In addition to a comprehensive list of martinis, cocktails, spirits and Champagne, the concept also offers a selection of ‘Dirty’ bites, including hot dogs and mini-burgers, plus a number of sharing plates.
“Although no two bars are the same, there are consistent elements that their customers expect when visiting a Dirty Martini site. Unique art work, bespoke lighting and club chairs and tables all reflect the tagline ‘spirited sophistication’,” Matthews added.
After an 'exceptionally strong' Christmas trading period, Matthews claimed Dirty Martini is on course to deliver £11.6m in sales in 2015, and CG remains on track to secure 15 Dirty Martini venues by Q4 2016.
While Matthews claimed to be taking a 'closer look' at several potential sites within the M25 and had a target to secure another site by Q2, he added that nothing was yet near completion.
Site criteria
He explained that the company was looking for units from 1,500 sq ft to 10,000 sq ft in high football locations in central and greater London, with shell and distressed sites considered.
Matthews said: “Our acquisitions specialists are highly knowledgeable about the markets that fit Dirty Martini and locations such as Clapham are the natural progression.
“We are hotly pursuing more opportunities both in central London and surrounding major leisure locations.”
In addition to Dirty Martini, CG Restaurants & Bars operates Fire & Stone in Maiden Lane and Westfield, Tuttons in Covent Garden and Bitter Sweet cocktail bar in Soho.