Wine bar no longer opening

The volatility of the hospitality industry has deterred a new business from opening despite an ‘incredible response’.

Denmead was eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Secret Den, which initially captured the attention of residents due to its owners keeping details close to their chest. The wine bar and cafe was originally expected to open this summer, but the opening was pushed back to the autumn.

The owners, who remain anonymous, have now confirmed they will no longer be opening the business due to a lack of confidence amid multiple challenges within the hospitality industry and economy.

In a post, which was published on Tuesday, September 8, it said: “A little update from Secret Den. The response to Secret Den has been incredible. The messages, the guesses, the thousands of you following along and everyone who joined the waitlist have shown us just how much Denmead wants a place like this. And we do too. We live here, and we wanted to create something genuinely special for the community.

“But as much as we want to bring this vision to life, we also have to be confident that Secret Den can be a sustainable business for the long term. With the challenges currently facing hospitality and the wider economy, we simply don’t have that confidence right now. So we’ve made the difficult decision not to open Secret Den this autumn.”

Something new is coming to Denmead - but all the major details are being kept under wraps with clues being dropped on social media. | Contributed

placeholder image — Something new is coming to Denmead - but all the major details are being kept under wraps with clues being dropped on social media. | Contributed

The News previously reported the cafe and wine bar was planning on offering coffee, curated wine flights, craft beers, sharing charcuterie boards, small plates and a rotating line-up of street food, and in the space of a few months, the concept secured more than 1,200 followers on social media.

The owners said the prospect of launching Secret Den is not “necessarily never. But it is not now”.

They added: “We still believe in the Den, we had an unbelievable location lined up, and when the conditions are right to give it the best possible chance of succeeding for the long term, perhaps we’ll dust off the plans. For now, thank you for getting behind an idea that never even opened its doors. The response has meant more than you know. Thank you, and we’re sorry.”

The owner of Secret Den has been contacted for a comment.