Village East, the influential Bermondsey Street restaurant and bar whose opening seven years ago paved the way for the regeneration of SE1’s culinary scene, is to reopen mid-September after an extensive refurbishment. The multifaceted site – a former textile factory and half domestic residence – has been updated with two new cocktail lounge bars, a casual ground floor canteen, a new raised dining area overlooking an open kitchen and a new ‘Little Room’ for private dining and meetings.

The desire behind this project was to inject warmth, intrigue and quirky love back into Village East, which is set within a culinary hub that is constantly evolving. The new design adds richness and drama, opening up the spaces, making them feel more connected but also creating more intimacy and mood. The designers responsible for the new Village East wanted to draw on the success they experienced following the creation of The Riding House Café but give Village East its own, slightly more modern, quirky and warm industrial personality.

The changes include a dramatic overhaul to the dining room and kitchen, resulting in a country house kitchen feel with the chefs’ pass taking the form of a dining room table in amongst the diners. The bar and lounge will be inviting and cosy with an emphasis on accessible bar dining. Each space transforms into the perfect retreat for daytime meetings, neighbourhood chats and those much needed end of week cocktails. Village East will now accommodate 109 diners and 120 in both lounge bar areas.

Much of its original character and charm has been retained and enhanced. Lighting is XXX. Bespoke features within the restaurant include French imported safety deposit boxes, which have been resin welded together into two walls of the restaurant. The safety deposit boxes are complete with original key holes and numbered locks and combine to weigh an astonishing 2.7 tonnes.