There’s nothing more satisfying for the savvy art dealer than having lunch while watching the latest auction action. I’ve often indulged in such decadent activity at Sotheby’s in New Bond Street. The restaurant, at the far end of the entrance corridor, is a great place to meet, greet, talk turkey and discuss artworld news, future sales, new commission structures or what not. During Russian Weeks the place was heaving – not just with the Russian crowd, but people in town for Impressionists sales, Old Masters, Silver… you name it.
The restaurant is splendid. I go there often.
Or rather – did. The restaurant is due to close next Friday (July 26), with staff to be handed their P45s after just two weeks’ notice. They’re a great team of people. The chef serves up succulent cuisine. Whenever sales are on the place is chocabloc. On weekdays it opens for breakfast at 9am, serves lunch from noon, then afternoon tea from 3 till 4.30. It’s also open for brunch some weekends from noon–5. You can sit there with a meal, or just a drink, and keep up with the salerooms via two TV screens.
True, there are cafés at the Dorotheum in Vienna and the Hôtel Drouot in Paris – but not at any other auction venue in London. Christie’s just have a little coffee-shop in King Street. So the place is a major plus for Sotheby’s – yet they are about to give it up for no good reason I can see. A cost-cutting measure? Maybe that’s the official explanation, but I am informed that, even if the restaurant doesn’t make much money, it isn’t losing any. Sotheby’s website is stilling calling it ‘a vibrant and contemporary restaurant offering superb service.’ For once I can only agree with the PR hype.
The choice is not extensive but the food is very good and fresh, and the menu changes regularly. Many times I’ve lingered over smoked salmon, langoustine or Orkney scallops, merrily slurping some Chablis while simultaneously keeping an eye on what’s going on in the saleroom. Once, a while back, I had my eye on a beautiful red/gold Fabergé clock that was coming up at some a sale with an estimate of £120,000-180,000. Earlier the same clock was on the market for £500,000. I was sure it would go for a lot more than I was prepared to pay… so, instead of attending the sale, I was just watching it from the restaurant. All of a sudden the custodian of my Sotheby’s account called me to ask where I was – he was sure the clock would interest me. When I told him I didn’t think I had a chance, he replied ‘Let’s see what happens.’ In the event, nobody bid – and I got the clock for under low-estimate: just £115,000. Had it not been for the restaurant I wouldn’t have bid an Sotheby’s would have missed on their hefty commission.
Fabergé Gold and Enamel Desk Clock
Closing the restaurant will be a great loss and is hugely annoying. It’s not as if Sotheby’s need extra space to display paintings, porcelain, sweaty basketball shirts or whatever other masterworks they’re about to flog us. There’s plenty of space in the adjacent rooms. The Bond Street atmosphere just ain’t gonna be the same!
A lot of Sotheby’s clients are far from happy, I can tell you. I am one of them. I do hope that Sotheby’s will reconsider their decision and keep the restaurant running for years to come.
