UK. The Moodie Davitt Report was on location today for the official unveiling of Vagabond Bar & Kitchen in Gatwick Airport.
The bar and restaurant accommodates more than 300 covers and is located in a high-profile location in Gatwick’s South Terminal, where it will soon be opening a second location called South Downs.
Vagabond is an urban winery concept that showcases a vast array of wines, beers and food options inspired by the world’s best wine regions. The company offers over 80 wines with a special focus on local vineyards.
Highlights include wines from Sussex, Kent, Digby in Arundel, Tillingham in Rye, and Kingscote which is based less than ten miles from Gatwick Airport in East Grinstead. Its international wine offering includes options from France, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and many more.
Vagabond is a showcase of innovative F&B features and seeks to elevate the airport dining experience through a high-quality menu, excellent service and Sense of Place. One of the noteworthy features of the Gatwick location is a self-serving wine machine, which gives passengers a fun and easy way to discover and sample new wines before committing to a glass or bottle. Vagabond also has a self-pour craft beer wall, and an extensive food menu with options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a separate kids menu.
English sparkling wine concept South Downs is Vagabond’s sister bar and a Gatwick exclusive concept. The soon-to-be-opened bar concept is located in the heart of the South Terminal Departure lounge in front of Vagabond. South Downs will offer a cocktail menu developed by Max Benning of Three Sheets, recognised as one of the world’s top 50 bars.
In addition to English sparkling wines and cocktails, South Downs will serve a range of meals and snacks inspired by famous wine-producing regions and made with locally sourced ingredients.
“We are delighted to welcome both Vagabond and South Downs bar to our South Terminal this spring,” commented Gatwick Airport Retail Director Rachel Bulford. “Leading London-based operator, Vagabond, will provide a wonderful selection of wines and beers from fantastic vineyards and breweries located across our region and the eye-catching design of the sparkling wine bar – South Downs – brings the outside in and reflects the greenery of the countryside surrounding Gatwick.
“We love being less than 30 minutes from the centre of London, but we are also proud of being in the heart of the community here in leafy Sussex.”
During the event, The Moodie Davitt Report Brands Director Hannah Tan-Gillies sat down with Gatwick Airport Head of Retail Operations & Projects Nick Williams, Vagabond Managing Director Matt Fleming and Vagabond Founder and Executive Director Stephen Finch to discuss how the concept promises to redefine F&B in Gatwick.
What has been the reception to Vagabond so far?
Nick Williams: Vagabond has been open for three weeks and the response has been very positive. It’s the first in flow when you come up the escalators taking over a large section in the upper level. The Vagabond team have done an incredible job from a design perspective and we’re delighted with it.
Matt Fleming: Internally, there’s been a huge wave of positivity for the design, look and feel and service standards. Externally, a lot of passengers’ comments reflect what we set out to do and that is to make travellers feel like they are in a buzzy London bar.
What does Vagabond add to the F&B offer at Gatwick? What sets it apart?
NW: When we went out to tender with the unit, we were looking for something different and showed elements of innovation. What attracted us to Vagabond is the provenance of their products. They are stocking a lot of local wines and that is something that passengers are wanting to see more. We’re the 12th Vagabond location but their network is very London-centric which is something our passengers identify with.
Vagabond brings an elevation in terms of the range of wines we are able to offer in the Terminal. They have a strong all-day menu that offers great value and is fit for an airport. They’ve brought in some fun innovation like self-service wines and self-pour beer which I think works great in an airport environment.
This gives extra accessibility and convenience for passengers, especially if they are under time pressure and don’t want an extended wait for service. Plus, there is an element of fun. In an airport, passengers have certain expectations of what is available and I think Vagabond will surprise people in a positive way.
MF: What sets us apart is our menu which is inspired by our journeys through the wine worlds. What we felt was missing in airports was a real commitment to quality, provenance, sourcing and offer that you’d expect from any buzzy restaurant in the local market. We want to exceed people’s expectations of what airport F&B can be.
Stephen Finch: Travellers are yearning for something better and we’re getting the sense from our airport operators that the standard formula for F&B isn’t cutting it anymore. We’re just very happy that we’re one of the first ones they have tapped to bring along on that journey.
As a London born and bred concept, what do Vagabond and South Downs add to Gatwick Airport in terms of Sense of Place?
SF: South Downs is a great example of Sense of Place. Gatwick is located very close to the South Downs area where a lot of great wineries are located and we really wanted to celebrate that with South Downs. We’re championing smaller producers too and not just playing it safe by going with the big guys. Our wine list is very thoughtful with a wide range of styles and ingredients. It’s very exciting because no-one has done it before.
Vagabond is a London brand and so our food, style and décor is influenced by what’s cool in London. London is a city with a vibrant foodie scene so you need to achieve a high-standard because the London consumer won’t tolerate anything half-baked. Vagabond started 12 years ago and we earned our stripes in London. We know what people want but keep pushing ahead to pioneer a new path and introduce new wines and new foods inspired by different wine regions. We are committed to keeping things fresh and interesting. Vagabond’s Gatwick location is not a franchise and so we are managing that ourselves. This is because we care about offering the same experience at the airport as any one of our London outlets.
MF: South Downs really is the best example of Sense of Place because it has a rich bounty of producers across food and drink in the local area. We have a huge fake beech tree (Ed: a tree which grows throughout the South Downs area) at the centre of the bar. It doesn’t just make the bar stand out, but gives travellers the feeling of being in a leafy green environment like in the South Downs.
Vagabond wine recommendations from Stephen Finch and Matt FlemingMF: We’re collaborating with a fantastic small producer called Artelium that does incredible English sparkling wine. They recently won a gold medal at the English Wine Awards and is very representative of all things English and traditional English winemaking methods. SF: I’m really excited to work with Kent-based Gusbourne Wines. We were one of the first retailers to carry Gusbourne Wines when they started out and we went on this journey together. Also, Vagabond does really good sparkling rose wine that isn’t champagne style has great packaging too. It’s very popular and sells out every year. |
How do you see the airport F&B environment evolving in the post-pandemic landscape?
NW: We’re seeing huge desire for F&B in airports since COVID and I think this is people getting into the holiday swing the moment they arrive. As we come out of the pandemic, we’re really keen on maximising our F&B capacity by securing great brands like Vagabond and that’s the same in both North and South Terminals.
One thing we’re particularly focused on is bringing new and exciting brands into the mix. In some ways, passengers have become used to a traditional restaurant offer in airports and that was starting to get a bit generic. What we’ve been focused on in the last 18 months is making sure that every unit we offer has a point of difference, raises the bar and is going to surprise and delight passengers. I think Vagabond is a great example of that.
MF: The airport F&B environment is evolving. Now, smaller independent operators are able trade in airport environments that have previously been unavailable to them. I want to encourage these businesses to shoot their shot. They need to be great at what they do, remain committed to quality and sell a great story. The airport environment isn’t off limits to new brands and I feel that reflects where airport F&B is headed in the future. ✈
Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter, which features highlights of openings, events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining. Please email Kristyn@MoodieDavittReport.com to subscribe.
The company also hosts The Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference & Awards, which will take place on 12-13 September in Bangkok, Thailand after a four-year COVID-driven absence. Notably, FAB’s remit has been extended this year to feature wider airport hospitality services, including hotels and lounges.
For all partnership, speaker, content and other enquiries please contact Jeannie Wong, The Moodie Davitt Report Asia Bureau Chief and Head of Marketing & Events at Jeannie@MoodieDavittReport.com
