WEST LONDON CLASSIC CAR SHOWROOM - DUKE OF LONDON - OPENS RETRO WINE AND COCKTAIL BAR

NEW RETRO WINE AND COCKTAIL BAR - PLONKERS BAR - OPEN ITS DOORS INSIDE POPULAR WEST LONDON CLASSIC AND SUPERCAR SHOWROOM DUKE OF LONDON

Retro-inspired wine and cocktail bar Plonkers Bar is set to launch this Platinum Jubilee Weekend inside popular Wes Anderson-esque classic and supercar showroom Duke of London in Brentford, West London.

London’s coolest classic and supercar destination Duke of London - based in Brentford, West London – opens a new retro-inspired wine and cocktail bar - Plonkers Bar - inside their pastel pink, automotive-themed warehouse space, which is home to a vast and eclectic collection of rare and exotic classic cars and motorcycles. A first of its kind destination within the automotive and wine industry, the launch proves an exciting addition to the local area and Ballymore’s The Brentford Project, bringing some vintage glamour, va-va-voom and a new place to socialise in style within the developing riverside town.

Officially opening to the public on 2 June 2022 for the Platinum Jubilee Weekend, the Plonkers Bar launch will kick off with an English Wine Flight, allowings guests to taste five incredible wines made ‘just around the corner’ all for a total of £30. The launch weekend will also host a ‘Plonkers’ Classics ‘ event on Friday 3 June, with a live DJ in the car showroom, a 50-piece classic and supercar display outside, and exciting English wines and cocktails. On Saturday 4 June, the launch celebrations will continue, with funky soundtracks transporting guests through the afternoon, with fine wine by the glass selection for guests to choose from using the Coravin wine preservation system.

Plonkers Bar was conceived when wine-enthusiast and classic car hub owner Merlin McCormack, and his wine consultant friend, Csaba Toth, decided to embark on a venture that would help share their long-standing passion for good ‘plonk’ and bring some much-needed luxury hospitality to the local area. Both masters of their trade and obsessed with wine, they set about opening their very first wine bar together.

Plonkers Bar is a novel concept where funky music, fine wine, retro interior design, and classic, vintage and supercars all come together under one thriving roof of creative industries. The bar aims to bring a new social life to the burgeoning West London suburb, catering for both the wine connoisseur and those that just ‘fancy a glass of something delightful.’ It is the perfect location for date night, special occasions or just a night spent relaxing, dancing or drinking with friends.

Stylised as more Mad Men than Del Boy, this unique wine bar based in a 1930s soap factory oozes 70s glamour and eccentricity, featuring a thick leopard print carpet underfoot, sumptuous yellow velvet armchairs to sink into, sunset-hued ambience, and mid-century modern furniture pieces throughout - all whilst looking out to a selection of cars such as Aston Martin DB5s, Ford Mustangs, Ferrari Testarossas or ‘80s race cars. The distinctive surrounding area of Brentford poses a stark juxtaposition of urban, rural and industrial heritage, against the fresh energy, on-trend styling and luxurious retro feel of Plonkers and Duke of London alike.

Plonkers Wine Bar is starting out life as a pop-up, running from Thursdays to Saturdays throughout the year:

• Thursday evenings will be informal, yet informative tasting events;

• Fridays from 1700-2300 is ‘party night’ with a disco vibe, lively DJ set, and weekly classic car meet;

• Saturdays from 1300-2300 will be themed around funky soundtracks, fine wines and al-fresco seating in fine weather.

Plonkers features an ever-changing selection of wines sold by the glass, with a constantly evolving list to herald much-loved classics together with ‘off-the-beaten-track’ funky and natural wines, plus an exciting range of craft beers, artisan spirits - including Brentford’s own Vault Vermouth - and premium non-alcoholic options. Prices start from £7 for a glass of wine.

In addition to Plonkers Bar, Duke of London is also home to ‘London’s Best Pizza’ Santa Maria Pizzeria - as voted by Time Out - and newly-opened Monae’s Taqueria, serving up authentic Mexican tacos. Both Santa Maria Pizza and Monae’s Tacos can be enjoyed at Plonkers’ Food Counter (with pre-booking at the Counter recommended.)

Plonkers Bar is designed for seated table service in its 30-seat lounge but is also available for private hire throughout the week on a minimum spend basis, with seated covers of 30, but standing of up to 200 with overflow into the car showroom.

“This missing piece of the puzzle. For a while now I have felt we needed a place where you could “lose an afternoon” at Duke of London. Somewhere cosy, soft and relaxing. Somewhere to just hang out. My own love and knowledge for wine, like many, grew exponentially over lockdown and I really wanted to build something we could all enjoy. It is an honour to be working alongside Csaba Toth who has been totally instrumental in the establishment. We are already developing an exciting and different range of events for the summer ahead from supper clubs to tastings and even music nights. Georgia’s execution of the design and format of the new space itself has exceeded all expectations. Selfishly, it truly is a place where I myself would love to lose many an hour, and I hope others will feel the same.”

“From time to time I played with the idea of opening a wine bar and with Plonkers this became a reality. I love the vibe and the freedom I have when it comes to creating the wine list. I also love the fact that we are not ticking boxes here, just go with what feels good and the results are awesome wines, fun atmosphere and great customers. Looking forward to taking this project to the next level and beyond with Merlin and the team, we are full of great ideas already!”

“I wanted to design a space that felt like a glamorous bygone era, reviving the exciting feel of London in the ‘60s, ’70s, and ‘80s. There is no set era we have taken inspiration from, it’s a real mash-up of all the things that encapsulate Duke of London’s car collection, unique style and music taste. Our mid-century bar features ‘70s Murano glass sculptures, ‘60s playboys magazines and mid-century cocktail making equipment, whilst the leopard print carpet just screams Soho nightclub (or naughtier) in the ‘70s. The overall design showcases a mid-century modern colour scheme of mustards and terracotta with vintage glamour, sumptuous furnishings to happily relax into for an entire evening, and specially-sourced vintage items to give it a unique ambience. There are original ‘70s winemaking magazines to read whilst you sip on your glass of wine! ”

Founded by Merlin McCormack in 2014, Duke of London is a family-run classic and supercar hub – based in a 51,000sq ft warehouse space – offering sales, restoration, storage, events, detailing and more. Duke of London is also home to a growing community of 45 small businesses, including Santa Maria Pizzeria, Coffeeology, The Brentford Cobbler, and more.

Founded in 2022 by Merlin McCormack and Csaba Toth, Plonkers Bar is a unique retro-inspired wine bar and cocktails lounge, overlooking a classic and supercar showroom in Brentford, West London.

The main aim is to spread the love of great wines, hand-in-hand with unique mid-century modern interior design, funky music and interesting individuals from all walks of life.

Click here for photos and videos of Plonkers Bar.

Click here for photos of Duke of London.

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