A Rake’s progress
Richard Dinwoodie and Mike Hill, co-founders of The Rake, celebrate the 18th birthday of their very special beer bar
“WE WERE TOLD THAT BEER DRINKING WAS DECLINING, THAT WE WERE MAD AND WOULD BE BANKRUPT BY CHRISTMAS”
Images: E Galvin Photography
The Rake occupies a site that has been serving drinks since its construction in the 1860s. Initially it operated as a bawdy Victorian drinking den for the local tenement dwellers, then some time between the two world wars it became a greasy spoon cafe serving tea to market traders and customers. Finally, we reach the beer temple it is today!
Having opened Utobeer in 1999, initially as an off-licence at Borough Market and later as a specialist beer wholesaler, we were constantly being asked by customers where they could find a bar that sold these beers. After much searching for a suitable site, we discovered that the lease on 14 Winchester Walk – conveniently close to our market stall – was soon to be available. We immediately saw the potential, but the narrowness of the building meant that for it to be commercially viable, we would need a little more space. Thankfully, we were able to negotiate for two parking spaces outside the building to be converted into a beer garden.
After the Borough Market trust agreed to our plans, we started work on stripping out the cafe and fitting out the layout we still have today, designed by our former colleague Jane Salveson, to whom we’re eternally grateful. The only part of the old cafe we kept was the Pilkington White Glass ceiling, partly because of its architectural interest, and also because the white helped to lighten the room.
The focus of the pub was to be 95 per cent on beer (there would be wine too – a red and a white). We were told that this would never work, that beer drinking was declining, that we were mad and would be bankrupt by Christmas. We probably were a bit mad, but what no one took into account was the interest being generated by the beer revolution in the US and the coming dawn of the UK brewing renaissance (‘craft beer’ had yet to be coined as a term), spearheaded at the time by Thornbridge, Dark Star, BrewDog and other aspiring young brewers. When The Rake first opened, the number of breweries in London was not even 10; today, it’s nearly 100!
So at 6pm on Friday 4th August 2006 we opened the door with three casks (including the rare 14% Thomas Hardy in cask for the first time) and six keg lines. We had keg beers from Veltins and Maisels from Germany, Sierra Nevada and Anchor from the US, and Liefmans and Boon from Belgium. We had cask beers from Darkstar, O’Hanlon’s, Thornbridge and Oakham Ales. Since we opened, we have sold a constantly rotating range, launched beers and breweries, introduced brews from across the globe, won awards and drawn criticism over pricing – but our principle has always remained beer first.
Many people ask why the walls are covered in graffiti – indeed the staff often have to stop customers from adding to it. From early on we had a close relationship with Stone Brewing and its founder Greg Koch. One evening he asked if he could sign his name on our wall (à la the Hemingway Bar in Havana). Much exchanging of t-shirts and stickers followed, and it was decided that any brewer who had their beers sold in The Rake should have the honour of signing the wall. So began a tradition that still goes on today. We’re now onto our second wall (the previous wall can be viewed online) and there will no doubt be a third.
Throughout August, we’ll be celebrating our 18th birthday with a series of events. Come and have beer or two with us!
