NEON194 is a transformative destination venue that changes concepts from day to night. It embraces a cultural revival of London’s Piccadilly, supported by The Crown Estate. This reimagined space is fit for all, whether mingling with freelancers in the workspace and café by day or unwinding at the bar by night.
NEON194 evokes the spirit of the late 1800s Belle Epoque, when the clubs of St James’s buzzed with London’s bold and beautiful, and Piccadilly was the centre of London’s social hub. It’s another creation from Cymon Eckel, the place-making specialist behind ultramodern live venue XOYO, ‘social workspace’ Forge & Co, post-rave pub The Griffin, the world’s first DJ bar Riki-Tik, and acid house pioneers Boy’s Own.
Location
From a property perspective, it’s a great production of post-Covid re-purposing, where work demands have changed, and people interact throughout the needs of their day.
Commenting on the vision, NEON194’s Cymon Eckel says: “NEON194 is situated a short walk from Piccadilly Circus, the heart of London’s entertainment district since the 19th century. Groups gathered under the neon lights. it’s always been a glowing symbol of London’s futurism: the capital’s creative and cultural heart – where ideas are formed and fun is had.”
The atmosphere is very friendly, very human, relaxed and staffed by people that care and are passionate about other peoples’ experiences. The key aim is to become a recognisable part of the St James’s and the broader West End community.
Partnerships
NEON194 is also the first partnership venture with Cymon and hospitality leader Aaron Mellor, the architect-turned entrepreneur behind Tokyo Industries. Aaron’s extensive folio includes celebrated venues in Ibiza, Palm Springs, LA and the north of England.
“We’re aiming to cultivate an exciting, dynamic location, where Londons creative freelance community and the ‘Bright Young Things’ of today and tomorrow – can come together, a place where they share moments, experiences and knowledge, a community can be built in a location normally exclusive by pricing alone,” says Cymon,
A Modern Space
NEON194 is fine-tuned to provide for contemporary Londoners. By day, working on a laptop is encouraged, along with drinks and food; music comes curated by the city’s leading DJs. After dark, NEON194’s bar offers on-trend drinking, dining, and a special events program showcasing the most exciting art, music and cabaret emerging from London’s thriving subculture. The décor is a wood-panelled, warm and lounge-like on the ground floor. There are lots of soft furnishings and mid-century-modern-inspired pieces, with a sense of the space being about quality and fun.
The former restaurant floor downstairs is like a New-York-style ballroom with deep red banquettes and tables, soft, warm light, and fantastic sound and lighting and state-of-the-art sound. The space is massive and a real surprise considering the very central London location.
NEON194 represents an electrifying pushback against extractive economics hindering organic culture, says Cymon: “This is not a ‘repurposing’ – it’s a return to the site’s original purpose. The building originally housed the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours. They were a broad mix of Londoners with a passion for the popular arts, supporting their culture after the nearby Royal Academy refused to acknowledge watercolours as a medium.”
Cultural Elements
It’s a notably fresh addition to a part of the capital that was yet to reflect the city’s updated identity – until now. At NEON194, the new wave of international visitors who flock to experience cutting-edge London can finally discover a slice of it here, in the heart of town.
Originally a fine dining space designed by Martin Brudnizki – MBDS Designs, NEON194 has cleverly restyled and designed the interior and furniture to be sympathetic in mood but at a juxtaposition stylistically by inserting some huge traditional Chesterfield banquettes, mid- century inspired off-the-shelf pieces and ultra minimal table benches.
The spacious lower-ground floor can be used for events, exhibitions, or as a studio, for temporary retail, pop-ups and more. By night, it can flex as a cinema, theatre, live music venue, comedy club, launch and events space. The venue boasts a state of the art sound system and lighting, plus an extensive, purpose-built professional kitchen for external use.
Entertainment and Refreshments
The café, lounge and bar is always filled with specifically chosen music, not intrusive, but curated by varied personalities, DJs and musicians. On Thursdays and Fridays, DJs play in the bar and lounge, tastefully with a focus on the diversity of the music.
The menu consists of an all-day breakfast and brunch, featuring classic egg and avocado dishes, bacon brioche and other staples. Lunch is an Italian-inspired deli operation serving sandwiches, salads and antipasti, which is also “grab and go”. Finally there is a post-work and evening service, offering up homemade bar snacks, sharing plates, crostini and small plates.
To Discover More Visit neon194.com
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All Imagery Courtesy of NEON194.