Flute to open Champagne bar in London

New York Champagne bar chain Flute is opening its first outlet in the UK.

Hervé Rousseau, founder of the small group, told the drinks business that he had just been granted a licence for a 300 metre square site at 4 Great Portland Street, London.

The new venue, which he hopes to open in mid-November, is situated just north of Oxford Street and opposite Miss Selfridge in a basement formerly occupied by the Lees Bag Wine and Steak House.

Flute’s inaugural bar was opened in Midtown Manhattan in 1997, followed by another in New York City in Gramercy Park three years later.

Rousseau, who is French, then opened a third in Paris’s 17^th arrondissement in 2006, before finding the London-site a few month’s ago.

Speaking last week, he said, “Our licence has just been accepted by Westminster Council, which means we can now open – we had signed the lease but we have been fighting for the licence for the last two months.”

He added: “The site looks exactly like Flute in Midtown New York City. It was kind of troubling because it has exactly the same ceiling height, so when I walked in I felt right at home.”

The London branch of Flute will follow the concept of the New York bars.

“We will have about 100 Champagnes by the bottle and 25 by the glass, with starting prices of around £5 for a glass and £50 for a bottle, so it’s going to be affordable,” he explained.

“We want people to come often but they can also go VIP – there will be amazing products there too,” he continued.

The new bar will feature five private booths for anything from birthday parties to business meetings.

Flute will also offer customers up to 10 different Champagne flights featuring different styles and grape varieties.

The upcoming edition of the drinks business will include the biannual on-trade report Eat.Drink with a special feature on Champagne bars from around the world.