Vaulting ambitions

Tongue-in-cheek retro is the style of the Langley, a new restaurant and bar in London's Covent Garden. Housed in underground vaults, its furnishings and accessories borrow from the 1960s and 1970s - but without creating a heavy theme.

"I think the era of overtly themed bars and restaurants is gone, so we've tried not to pigeonhole it too much," explains Robert Cohen, operations director of the bars division of Chorian.

All-in-one experience

The Langley, which opened in April, is the eighth Chorian-owned outlet, with two more due to come on stream by the end of June. It has a 100-cover restaurant, two bars with numerous private seating areas for drinks and bar food, and a dance floor. Its aim, says Cohen, is to give an all-in-one food, drink, dance and social experience.

Designer and architect MPS has retained the brutal brick-and-concrete finish of the vaults, contrasting it with furnishings in bright colours. There are geometric murals in citron, butterscotch, orange, lavender, sage and crimson by Simon Tozer. Some of the same colours are repeated in leather-covered chairs, sofas and banquettes.

Private groups

Both restaurant and bars are arranged so that people can sit in private groups, yet still be able to see through to other parts of the 500sq m space. For example, the restaurant offers booths as well as tables and chairs, and the room is separated by shelving that allows glimpses of the bar beyond. Similarly, one of the lounge seating areas is screened by red plastic strip-curtains that give a sense of separation without isolation.