BY AMANDA STEWART
THAMESIDE Social is a collaboration between Orwells in Shiplake Row and the Pavilion delicatessen and cookery school in Market Place, Henley.
The two venues have joined forces from June 15 to July 12, Thameside Social will sit right on the Thames during Henley Women’s Regatta, Henley Royal Regatta, and Henley Festival — bringing together relaxed dining, drinks, and elevated hospitality in a beautiful setting near the finish line, with a street food dining area and bar at Upper Thames Rowing Club in Remenham Lane.
At the pre-launch event held recently, Liam and Ryan Simpson-Trotman, who run Orwells, and Micah Judah, owner of Pavilion, told of their combined concept at Thameside Social ahead of the launch of their new pop-up restaurant collaboration.
About 60 guests were invited for a first look at a new pop-up riverside restaurant. They also announced that TV chef James Martin would be joining them on the river and three-time Michelin star chef Pierre Kauffman will support the team by way of a visit.
The space will have two offerings, an 80-seater Orwells restaurant experience, alongside a “Hawkstone Enclosure”, a more relaxed, social area serving street food and Hawkstone Brewery beer, designed for all-day drinks and dining by the river.
‘Thameside Social will be revealing a calendar of events during the pop-up which will include chef demonstrations, guest appearances and live music’
Sue Jolly will be leading a “Malaysian day” among an array of other themed events while Lynne Lambourne has designed the outdoor section and artist Warren Kerley has designed various pieces with a watery theme. Other guests supporting the event included then mayor Tom Buckley, representatives from Danesfield House, the Creative Duck and Invesco.
The team at Orwells has previous experience from operating a riverside restaurant at Henley Festival in 2022. Liam told the Henley Standard that their latest venture will provide an opportunity to showcase both companies’ culinary expertise to a wider audience.
“For us, we’ve always been on the outside of the town when it comes to the regatta.
“This is an amazing opportunity to showcase what we can do together as a collaboration.
“It’s going to be an experience. As you’re coming up to it on the boat or you’re walking, you’re going to see something that’s never been seen before on the Thames.
“We want to get people for a nice fancy meal in the night-time, in the daytime for the street food picking up picnics from the deli side.”
Thameside Social will be revealing a calendar of events during the pop-up which will include chef demonstrations, guest appearances and live music. Breakfast, coffees and riverside treats are also planned.
Mr Judah said: “We want it to be really accessible, we want people to come and visit us multiple times throughout that four-week period.
“We’ll be doing hospitality during the regatta but it will be quite a relaxed, informal and approachable, accessible format.”
