UK. Airport Retail Enterprises (ARE) has partnered with independent UK brewery Big Smoke Brew Co to open Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen at London Heathrow Terminal 2 later this month. It will be Australian F&B specialist ARE’s second UK location after Grain Store at London Gatwick Airport.
The new “craft beer and food destination” features a diverse menu with a focus on pub classics, all day breakfasts and sharing dishes. Highlights include DIY tacos, grilled meat sharers and home-made burgers. Guests can also tailor a dish to their individual tastes by choosing from a selection of grills, sides and sauces. The breakfast menu includes pancakes with maple syrup, Eggs Benedict, sweetcorn fritters and the ‘Big Smoke Signature Breakfast’ featuring house-smoked beef brisket.
Surrey-based Big Smoke Brew Co has produced a beer and a gin to be sold exclusively at Heathrow. Flight Mode is a pilsner at 4% abv while Taphouse London Dry Gin is available for sale with personalised labels that can be created while the guest waits. Big Smoke’s own range of locally produced beers, cider and gins will also be available – including six draught options, six cans from the fridge and three gins on the bar. This range is backed up by a large selection of other beers, wines, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks.
The pub and restaurant will be certified Covid-safe to trade, and will feature order-at-table and pay-at-table technology.
Heathrow Retail Director Fraser Brown said: “As the UK’s gateway to the world, we are delighted to welcome local Surrey-based brand Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen into Terminal 2. Heathrow strives to provide our passengers with the best airport service in the world and this opening will serve as a fantastic new addition for our international travellers, as they will get the opportunity to experience an authentic local brewery. To ensure customers feel safe and secure, they will be able to pay and order meals from their mobiles or use the food & beverage takeaway service via the Heathrow app. We look forward to Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen opening their doors to our passengers as international travel resumes this Summer.”
Rich Craig, who launched Big Smoke Brew Co with his business partner James Morgan in 2014, added: “We’re very excited to showcase our range of beers and gins to people travelling from Heathrow. Our brewery is based only eight miles from the airport so we are offering passengers a truly local experience. The brand new Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen represents everything that we love about modern beer and pubs and we can’t wait to welcome our first guests.”
ARE Director John Butts said: “ARE is incredibly proud to be commencing our partnership with Heathrow, and delighted that we are able to do so with such a fantastic brand in Big Smoke. This is an exciting opportunity to celebrate a local champion on one of the world’s largest international stages.”