Nearly eight years ago, we opened Cellar, our neighbourhood kitchen and bar, on the ground floor of Kindred. We wanted to offer something different in Hammersmith: a candlelit room where the food was delicious, the wine was good, and the magic of people coming together felt completely, unmistakably real. Over the years we’ve done lunches and small plates, pizzas and feasts, breakfasts, cocktails and everything in between. We’ve met wonderful neighbours, built friendships with guests that will genuinely last a lifetime, and created something we are deeply proud of.

So it is with real sadness that I’m writing to let you know that Friday the 7th of August was Cellar’s last day as a restaurant.

If you’ve reading this, it means you’ve likely been one of the brilliant people supporting us over the years, so you deserve to understand the context of why we’ve come to this decision.

Running an independent restaurant has always been hard. We opened one year before the pandemic (difficult timing, to put it gently) but in many ways the years since have been the hardest of all. Rising costs and the wider economic pressures bearing down on the hospitality industry have made it near impossible to make the model work. And Cellar is far from alone in this. So many beloved independents have quietly disappeared from our streets and neighbourhoods in recent years, and it breaks my heart every time. If there’s one thing I hope you take from this letter, it’s a reminder to keep supporting the independent places you love. They exist because communities choose to show up for them, and that matters more than ever right now.

We gave it everything, and I am genuinely proud of what we built. But I also know when it’s time to make a hard choice, and this is that moment.

Let me tell you what’s happening next.

Coworking will close briefly from Monday 10th August while my team and I take a breath, regroup, and get ready for what comes next. We’ll reopen on Monday 7th September with an updated three-floor coworking offering, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

If you’re sad because you loved Cellar, me too. But don’t worry. We’re planning a programme of pop-up food and drink events throughout the year, so we can still celebrate, eat and drink together in the way we always have. Watch this space.

And if you have an event booked with us, or are thinking about booking, I want you to know that nothing is changing for you. If anything, our events offering is getting stronger. The food, the drinks, and the team you know will all be part of your experience, and we are so looking forward to hosting you. Please do reach out if you have any questions at all. We’ve got you.

Change is hard. But it also opens things up. And I find myself genuinely excited about where Kindred is heading: a renewed focus on building community, on being somewhere in West London you’re proud to spend your time, on creating the conditions for real connection. That was always the heart of this place, and it always will be.

Thank you for reading this far. I’d love to hear from you, whether that’s a favourite Cellar memory, a question, or just a hello. My inbox is always open.

See you in September.

Anna Anderson
Founder of Kindred