Funkidory permanently closes amid ‘storm of challenges’
London cocktail bar Funkidory has closed, citing the cost-of-living crisis and a ‘never-ending squeeze on small businesses’ as the cause.
Located in the south east London neighbourhood of Peckham, Funkidory was founded by couple Sergio Leanza and Anna Fairhead-Benitez in 2018.
The pair announced the closure on Instagram with a statement that read: “With heavy hearts but heads held high – we’re announcing the end of a Funki era.
“As many of you know, running a small independent neighbourhood bar has never been easy, and the last few years have been a storm of challenges: a pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, and the never-ending squeeze on small businesses. We’ve pushed, adapted, sacrificed and held on for as long as we possibly could, but we’ve now reached the end of the road. We want to thank every one of you who has stood by us.
“The love, generosity, support and sense of community you’ve given us has been beyond anything we could have imagined. We’ve made lifelong friends and gained a family – that’s something we get to carry forward with us, and it’s priceless. To our own families and friends – including those we lost this year – this wouldn’t have become a reality without you getting behind us, believing in us, rolling your sleeves up, listening to us worry, and showing up in every way that mattered. We thank you all from the bottoms of our hearts.
“We started Funkidory because we loved it, believed in it, and wanted to build something special. And we did. We made people happy, created memories, and brought a vibe and good times to a little corner of Peckham. If that’s the measure, then it’s mission accomplished. To our incredible team past and present; we love you, we thank you, and we are endlessly proud of you.
“You showed up, you delivered, you moved on… but never really left. Funkidory was what it was because of your heart, kindness, graft, and good vibes. We were truly blessed to have so many beautiful humans choose to be part of this place and bring the magic to life.”
The bar’s last service will be this Saturday 20 December.
Leanza told The Spirits Business that he and Fairhead-Benitez will be taking a break over the holidays to regroup and consider their next steps. He said the couple have ideas “but they’re not involving a bar in the near future”.
The UK’s hospitality sector has fallen under intense economic pressure since the Covid-19 pandemic. A report by CGA by NIQ revealed that the sector loses two sites a day under the strain of the UK government’s increased taxes on the on-trade.
The new business rates system in the UK – which will see rates jump to 76% by 2028 – could exacerbate this, despite the government’s claim that it would permanently lower rates.
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