The trio behind much-loved Farringdon restaurant Cloth, chef Tom Hurst and wine importers Joe Haynes and Ben Butterworth, will open a second restaurant in 2026 at the historic Simpson’s Tavern site on Ball Court, Cornhill.
Founded in 1757, and once frequented by the likes of William Thackeray and Charles Dickens, Simpson’s was widely regarded as London’s oldest chophouse before it closed in 2022. A maze of wood-panelled rooms and high-backed booths tucked down a narrow City alleyway, the Grade II-listed building is being restored to its former glory by Cloth, with a sprinkling of the team’s more contemporary style.
“It’s such a mad rabbit warren – a higgledy-piggledy collection of buildings and roots. It just felt so soulful and full of character,” Haynes says. “As soon as we saw it, we thought it was perfect. We just couldn’t resist.”
The team stumbled upon the vacant site last year while scouring London for new locations. “We were literally walking around areas to try and find units and saw this huge ‘For Sale’ sign,” Haynes says. “It wasn’t even actually for sale, but we put an offer in to rent it anyway and finally got the keys on October 22.”
When it opens, the new restaurant – to be called Cloth Cornhill – will retain the Simpson’s chophouse spirit, serving produce-driven British cooking from Hurst alongside classic steaks, chops and sausages. During the site’s soft strip, the team discovered a 19th-century cookbook containing the tavern’s original “luncheon beef sausage” recipe, which will be revived for the new menu.
Like at Cloth, wine will play a starring role. “We’ll definitely carry on the tradition we have [at Cloth], with lots and lots of bottles,” Haynes says. “We’re about honest winemaking and quality. We’re not natural-wine fanatics – especially in the City, where there’s not a demand for that style.”
Because the building is listed, changes will be minimal. “We can’t even move the benches without listed-building consent,” says Haynes. Plus, the building has “a militant group of followers”, so they plan to be careful with what they alter. “We’re giving it some new floorboards, a lick of paint and changing some of the colours to make it more our style, but really trying not to mess with it too much.”
The aim is to open mid-next year. “If we fall either side of that, we’ll deal with it. We don’t want to trip over ourselves with all the bureaucratic hoops.”
Open Monday to Friday, Cloth Cornhill will double as an event space on weekends, hosting private dinners, weddings and pop-ups from friends in hospitality. “The City has long missed the hubbub of Ball Court,” Haynes says. “We feel privileged to bring it back to life.”
Cloth Cornhill is slated to open in 2026 at 38½ Cornhill, EC3V 9DR.
