There is a clear 1930s art deco motif running through both spaces, but each floor tackles the theme differently. Upstairs is a standing bar serving champagne, oysters, and a short menu of light cocktails - perfect for a pre-theatre aperitif. Each space is seemingly designed around what’s on offer, a lighter motif to match the lighter drinks upstairs, and a richer darker motif to match the darker spirits downstairs. The set-up is pretty simple, but also quite revolutionary. Their facade is completely unassuming, so much so that even Soho natives might just miss it, but inside Swift is definitely worth discovering. Which makes sense, considering Bobby Hiddleston broke a world record by making 9 complicated cocktails in less than 90 seconds. Unlike other cocktail bars, Swift certainly lives up to its name, by serving great signature cocktails as swiftly as possible. Taking over the former LAB site on Old Compton Street, Swift is a two storey bar that showcases the best of both the light and dark of Soho’s cocktail scene. But unlike the 1988 cult classic, don’t expect a bottle slinging Tom Cruise to serve you up some cheeky martinis, nor any flashy bottle flipping here just sleek design, great food, and some truly good cocktails. Like London’s very own cocktail tag-team, Nightjar’s Edmund Weil and Rosie Stimpson have teamed up with Milk & Honey’s Mia Johansson and Bobby Hiddleston, to create a new kind of cocktail destination in the heart of Soho. The Swift opened at 46-48 High Street Putneytoday (8 August).If there was ever an A-team for London’s highly competitive cocktail scene, it would definitely be made up of the team behind Swift Bar in Soho. It certainly has legs to expand - if this place takes off then we may go and look at other units but we haven’t got any solid plans as yet.”

Speaking of the potential to expand this American diner-style pub concept, Durn added: “We do feel there’s a gap in the market for this, certainly in Putney. With a capacity of 100 seated and an additional 50 standing, the new bar is a designed as a cross between retro, modern and industrial with cosy furnishings and unique fixtures, such as all of the light fittings being from reclaimed naval ships. The food – which will make up around 30-35 per cent of turnover - includes a range of hot dogs, pizzas and Hampshire beef burgers made exclusively for Fuller’s. “Whether a customer walks in in their suit from the office at 5pm or the mums club comes in in the afternoon or people that are going out on a Saturday night – The Swift offers something for everybody.”Īlongside Fuller’s London Pride, London Porter and Frontier, the new craft lager from Fuller’s, the drinks offering at The Swift includes kegged beers from Sierra Nevada and Anchor Brewery, a dozen cocktails (including four using Fuller’s beers as key ingredients), 40 different bottled and canned craft beers from around the world and a specially selected range of 30 American whiskeys. There are many places in London where you can have a nice drink, but some of my favourites are Scarfes Bar.

It’s the same with food - the reason you go out and eat is because you can’t produce the same food at home at the same quality. People are getting bored of walking into pubs and seeing stuff they can buy in supermarkets for a premium price in pubs. “Consumers are looking for something more unique. “We looked at trends in the market, spent some time away from Fuller’s looking at what other businesses are doing here in the UK and abroad and we feel this is the right site to try something a bit different. “We’ve owned the site in Putney for several years and it was a bit dated,” Durn told BigHospitality. The Whistle and Flute on Putney High Street has been rebranded as The Swift, offering American craft beer, beer-based cocktails and a range of burgers, hot dogs and pizzas.Īndrew Durn, development manager at Fuller’s, says the new-look pub has been created in response to consumer trends and as part of the operator’s aim to offer venues that are more accessible to a wider customer base

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