Two upcoming and independent London brands, Koi Ramen and The Tap In, have signed leases for space within the heart of the Elephant Park development emerging in south London.
The Tap In is opening its first permanent bricks and mortar sites at Elephant Park, a £2.3bn regeneration project being delivered by Lendlease and Southwark Council.
The Tap In is a brand-new concept from the founders of Six Yard Box and Hop Art. The 1,313 sq ft new site will be a place for visitors to enjoy some of the best craft beers in south London.
Japanese ramen noodle bar, Koi Ramen has signed for a 414 sq ft unit within Elephant Park. The brand, which currently has sites in Brixton and Tooting, specialises in Tonkotsu ramen – a rich and creamy pork soup noodle from the southern regions of Japan.
News of the new signings follows the announcement that sustainable community food market operator, Mercato Metropolitano, has signed for 17,500 sq ft of retail, dining and social space to launch MM Factory, due to open later in the year.
The Tap In is joining Elephant Park from Artworks, a pop-up retail park that was created by Lendlease in 2014 to provide community led space for start-ups and small businesses in the area. The founders of The Tap In, Six Yard Box and Hop Art, opened there in 2014 and 2018 respectively.
The Artworks intiative was positioned as an ideal home for emerging brands. It helped create new jobs and provided skills and support for new businesses. Cubana, a Cuban-style restaurant that also operated at Artworks, will have a residency at The Tap In, providing a Latin American-inspired food offering.”
Sebastian O-Driscoll, co-founder of The Tap In, said, “We are so excited to combine our two proven concepts to create The Tap In and will soon open a brand-new site at Elephant Park.
'The Artworks provided the perfect platform for us to trial Six Yard Box and then launch Hop Art to develop our brand. To myself and my two partners, Eoin and Harry, Elephant and Castle is home and we are grateful that Lendlease recognised how important being a part of this local community is for our growing brand.”
Guy Thomas, Head of Retail at Lendlease, commented, “At Lendlease we are committed to helping new and existing local brands, and we are proud to have created a location and community for retailers to thrive within.
'We are thrilled that Elephant Park will be home to a diverse range of food & beverage brands, The Tap In, and Koi Ramen both borne in London, alongside the recently announced MM Factory from Mercato Metropolitano, will position the destination as the perfect hotspot for culture, dining-out and socialising.