Global coffee brand and cocktail bar announces new venue at Waterloo destination

Black Sheep Coffee has opened its newest location at The Sidings, LCR’s experience-led destination within the former Eurostar terminal at Waterloo station.

The new 1,660 sq ft location is the brand’s 70th, with it operating across the UK as well as in Paris and Manila. From its new store at The Sidings, Black Sheep will offer its variety of coffees, including its speciality-grade 100 per cent Robusta coffee, and other food and beverages.

The launch of the new location coincides with Black Sheep Coffee introducing a new range of drinks for the summer, including a mango and dragonfruit smoothie, and a series of bubble tea drinks. It will also continue to serve its range of iced drinks, savoury and sweet treats, from toasties to its signature Norwegian waffles.

Black Sheep Coffee credited the decision to open its latest location at London’s newest destination to the mix of tourists, visitors and commuters passing through one of the UK’s busiest stations. The letting is the latest in a wave of new businesses and operators joining The Sidings.

International independent brewer BrewDog opened its concept 26,000 sq ft global flagship location in summer 2022, and has welcomed thousands of visitors, who’ve enjoyed live music performances, a cocktail hideaway, co-working space, a podcast recording studio, duckpin bowling and a slide between two floors.

Meanwhile, Labyrinth has just opened The Rosarium, a 100-cover restaurant inspired by high-end British cuisine and designed on the opulence of Victorian-era English gardens. Other brands already open at The Sidings include Belgian chocolatier Neuhaus and skincare brand Kiehl’s, alongside nationwide retailers Sainsbury’s and WH Smiths.

A new pedestrianised street, Waterloo Curve, has been introduced to connect the station and The Sidings to the wider South Bank area. It has been designed to reflect the area’s creative spirit and the already iconic surrounding locations such as Leake Street Arches, Royal Festival Hall and the National Theatre.

Peter Hawthorne, CEO at LCR, commented: “Black Sheep Coffee is fast developing a reputation for its quality and ability to offer something new. The Sidings, then, represents a natural next location as it continues to deliver its innovative take on coffee, food and cocktails for a mix of commuters, tourists and workers alike.

“The South Bank is London’s beating cultural heart, attracting millions of visitors every year. It’s important for us that The Sidings echoes that and delivers an experience of its own. Welcoming big-name brands like Black Sheep, alongside innovative, independent operators, will only bolster that ambition.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily