A brand-new café-bar will be opening in Northampton’s thriving cultural quarter this September. Based here at Royal & Derngate, and situated on the corner of Guildhall Road and Swan Street, Lola’s Bar will be the new go-to place for lunch meetings, dinner dates, social gatherings and, of course, pre- and post-theatre refreshments.

Operated by Bad Butler Hospitality in collaboration with Royal & Derngate, Lola’s will open in early September, initially offering drinks including cocktails, wine and beers, along with speciality coffee. Pastries and cakes will also be available during the day. The full food menu will launch later in the autumn, offering breakfast and brunch daytime, and a tempting selection of tapas in the evenings.

Passionate about Northampton, Bad Butler Hospitality is a growing local independent business, operating since 2019, and well-loved for its two Saints Coffee outlets and Pala Restaurant. A spokesperson for Bad Butler Hospitality commented: “Lola’s Bar will be our fourth venue and our most exciting yet! The food and beverage scene in Northampton is going from strength to strength, and partnering with Royal & Derngate is a fantastic opportunity for us to further contribute to this. We’re particularly excited about this collaboration given the cultural importance of Royal & Derngate in the town and county.”

Royal & Derngate’s Operations and Commercial Director, Rob Parkes, said: “In November 2023 we set out to find an experienced, entrepreneurial and creative operator with strong hospitality credentials to operate our flagship cafe bar. We received over a dozen tender applications and Bad Butler Hospitality stood out clearly as the best candidate.

“They have a great understanding of the vision and values that drive Royal & Derngate, and possess the flair required to provide memorable experiences for theatre-goers, locals and visitors to Northampton alike. Most of all they understand the importance of great food and drink – sourced locally where possible – with an offer that works equally well for a relaxed brunch as for a quick pre-show meal.  We look forward to working with them and seeing Lola’s develop over the coming months.”

Bad Butler Hospitality added: “We are very excited to be bringing a new lease of life to the bar venue. Our hope is to become a staple for theatre-goers pre- and post-show, as well as bringing in a new audience of people to the doorstep of the theatres, who can then discover the great shows that come to Northampton.”

Initially Lola’s Bar will be open from 10am till 10pm Tuesday to Thursday and 10am till 11pm on Friday and Saturday, as well as opening one hour ahead of shows on Sundays and Mondays. More details about the opening will be available here on the theatre’s website and via social media channels.