The latest addition to Brixton Village is a temporary summer pop-up, The Natural Bar Company. You’ll find it in the courtyard of Brixton Village, open from Wednesday to Sunday until 11 July.
Established in 2019, The Natural Bar Company was founded as a rebellion against the wasteful industry that is mobile events.
It is the first UK mobile bar company to focus on sustainability, healthier drink options and “mindful drinking”.
The idea came from a passionate group who saw first-hand the waste that comes from the events industry: single-use plastic, transportation, the bars themselves (often ending up in local landfill), discarded citrus fruit – it all adds up to a pretty big footprint by the time you get your pop-up pint. Their mission: to reduce waste without reducing quality.
They have certainly achieved this. The bar is made from up-cycled materials, there’s no single-use plastic in sight and they are the first mobile bar company in the UK to be accredited by Green Globe for sustainability practices.
But there is also a lot going on behind the scenes to make sure it really is as green as it seems.
The Natural Bar works as part of a circular economy with its suppliers and even uses its cocktail waste in wormeries at its Hertfordshire HQ to grow their own veg.
All supply chains are as low-impact on the planet as possible and the bar sources ingredients locally and seasonally for fresh taste and a reduced carbon footprint.
The drinks menu is good in spirit, quality and range, offering a selection of beers on tap from brewers like Mammoth and Toast. The cocktail menu is designed by mixologist John Rus and changes to match location and season, but always uses high quality and sustainable spirit brands such as Avallen Calvados, Back to Botanic and El Tequileño.
The bar has seven or eight cocktails to choose from, currently including a couple of Brixton specials: The Bricky Rum Punch: Market Row & Aluna Coconut Rum, Hacked Lime, Apple, Pineapple, Nut Orgeat – and The Brixton Gin Smash: Butterfly Pea Gin, Cucumber, Elderflower, Acidulated Apple, Soda.
Dom John, director of The Natural Bar Company, used to run a stall in Brixton’s Market Row, so he feels right at home in Brixton Village.
The bar fits comfortably into the bustle of the Village, it feels humble in nature but high-end in quality and is a perfect spot to grab a cocktail or a beer knowing that you’re supporting other local businesses and a supply chain with minimal impact on the planet.
The Natural Bar Company may be temporary to Brixton Village but their sustainability ethos is here to stay. It’s definitely worth swinging by for a sip of something before it shoots off to another neighbourhood.
For more info or for event hire have a look at the website.
Check out their Instagram for more ethical ethanol.
