Two new London sites for Spanish brand Camino
Camino is one of London’s best loved Spanish tapas bar and restaurant groups.
The first Camino opened in Kings Cross in 2007, shortly before the St Pancras International rail station re-opened as the London connection to Euro-tunnel.
At that time GS Magazine had offices a short walk from Camino and for a while it became the go-to place for after work drinks.
There was an unrivalled, sociable atmosphere at Camino that we cherished.
The Kings Cross Camino is still thriving and two further bars and restaurants have joined the group since, in Monument and in Shoreditch.
In late 2024 Ibérica, a rival Spanish themed bar and restaurant group, was put into administration.
Camino seized the opportunity to take on two of the five Ibérica sites, thus saving many jobs and vastly increasing the size of the Camino estate.
The sites, in Farringdon and Victoria were the pick of the bunch, and with a lick of paint, new furniture, and a few interior design changes, all carried out swiftly, Farringdon was re-opened under the Camino banner.
The site was only closed for a few weeks which enabled the management at Camino to offer new employment terms to the existing Ibérica staff and, as a result, most were retained.
The Victoria site needed more attention and was therefore closed for a full refurbishment.
At both sites, existing interior features created by the internationally renowned Lázaro Rosa-Violán Studio from Barcelona were kept.
At Farringdon, these include Andalusian tiles and glass lanterns, now complimented by new furniture, signage and a large and impressive map of Spain.
Here there is capacity for 35 in the bar and 66 covers in the restaurant space.
Camino Farringdon (above)
Victoria, which reopened this week is set on two levels with a 38-cover ground floor bar and a 100-cover restaurant on the first floor.
There is also a 48-cover terrace, to open in warmer months.
We asked founder Richard Bigg whether these new acquisitions have dramatically changed the group’s plans for 2025 and beyond.
“Without a doubt!” he said.
“We had intended to open a small ‘pintxo’ bar in central London, which should happen late spring, but when the opportunity to acquire the Ibérica sites came up we decided to jump at it.
“It’s been an enormous workload for our core team and I’m extremely impressed and grateful for their massive efforts and commitment.
“The plans now are to let both the new sites in Farringdon and Victoria settle in and find their feet, and to get the pintxo bar open.
“In a couple of weeks, we will have an upgraded wine list across the estate, and we are planning to have more frequent changes to our seasonal menus.
“Then a period of consolidation and some well-earned breaks for the team, whilst we keep our focus on maintaining standards across the board.”
Camino Victoria (above & below)
When Ibérica went into administration, Richard had the opportunity to take on all five branches, including Canary Wharf, Great Portland Street and Leeds, but only opted for Farringdon & Victoria.
Here he explains his rationale: “The other sites no longer seemed viable.” he said.
“The business offices in Canary Wharf had largely emptied out, not helped by people working from home but also, so I’m told, as a consequence of Brexit, with many financial institutions focusing more on Europe since then.
“Great Portland Street was a surprise.
“Once a busy site, it had become much quieter, and Leeds, whilst a gorgeous site, was too far away for us and possibly a bit off-pitch.”
We asked Richard if he was able to offer employment to all the existing Ibérica staff from Farringdon and Victoria and how much training/retraining was required?
“Yes, as many as we could, and even some from Canary Wharf.
“Ibérica had been a very good and respected brand and had some excellent staff who we were lucky to inherit.
“We did have to train them to understand how we do things at Camino and to ensure that everyone learned our core values and Service fundamentals and so on.
“We have also recruited quite a lot of new staff for Victoria as that had ceased trading for three months so we did lose a few, however the excellent General Manager and his fully engaged management team are with us and have been working and training at existing Camino sites in the interim, to give them some work whilst we cleaned, repaired and redecorated the site, and to learn how we operate.”
Unlike the Farringdon site, Victoria was in need of considerable enhancement, including some structural work. Was this an opportunity to put the Camino ‘design stamp’ on it?
“Both of the Ibérica sites had been beautifully designed, so any changes needed to be very sympathetic.” said Richard Biggs.
“Farringdon just needed some furniture replacing, new signage and a few other features to enhance what was already a very characterful layout of both dining room and bar.
“The sound system also needed enhancement so there’s now a lovely warm rich high-quality sound even at low volumes.
“That’s a relatively minor but important touch.
“There was also a lot of work required in the kitchen to improve the equipment and the layout, and some in the bar too, making life easier for our staff and more effective all round.
“Victoria needed a lot more work.
“The ground floor bar needed to be much more inviting and needed a stronger identity, so a lot of changes have been made there with new paint finishes, ‘esparto’ straw blinds that we sourced from Andalusia, improved lighting and an extended terrace area with canary yellow furniture, chosen to lift the spirits and attract attention.
“In the first floor restaurant again there was a lot of new paintwork to cheer things up and deformalize the feel.
“More replacement furniture, new pictures, opening up the kitchen to integrate front of house and back of house.
“Almost all the equipment needed repairing or replacement which we hadn’t expected, but it’s now been done and we’re ready to roll!”
Camino Farringdon (above two images)
The interiors at both sites are attractive and well-designed but share little in terms of recognisable design brand touches.
The same could be said of all Camino sites, so it was interesting to ask Richard what influences the design of each Camino site?
“We listen to designers and involve them where necessary.
“In the case of Ibérica we did get advice at Victoria as there was so much to do, but not at Farringdon.
“Form, of course, has to follow function, so first we make it work, then ‘pretty it up’.
“The intention is that our designs should help to provide an experience that makes you feel good and want to revisit.
“Colour is critical and original features within the building need to be featured; there needs to be something special and memorable about each place.
“Attention to detail is another factor; you may not notice some things first time, but small discoveries on future visits can surprise and delight.
“Each Camino looks different, that is intentional.
“Whilst there may be some similar features, like the lovely antique cooking pots and other fabulous second-hand clobber that I brought back from Spain on my numerous trips in a van.
“Those items may lend a certain look and feel but they are by no means cookie-cutter.
“Each site has a bar and a restaurant, allowing a less formal experience and giving choices of how to spend your time at any of our venues.
“You can go to one or the other depending on the occasion and what sort of experience you want, or you can go to both – starting with a drink at the bar and then moving into the restaurant.”
Camino Victoria (above)
“Having the bar in each venue makes it livelier and more fun but in no way takes away from the quality of the dining experience.
“Camino is a highly sociable kind of place” concludes Richard. “We offer good food and drinks at down-to-earth prices with an emphasis on people and ambience.”
It may be that no two Caminos are alike in their design and each has a unique character, but what Richard Biggs alludes to is all about people and the atmosphere that they create, and that is where the true essence of Camino can be found.
In fact the atmosphere in the bars at Farringdon and Victoria is the same as Kings Cross Camino was in 2007; busy, buzzy and fun.
In that respect, things haven’t changed at all at Camino for nearly twenty years.
And that is meant as the greatest of compliments.