Born in London’s East End, The Gentlemen Baristas was a community-driven coffee house and roastery founded by Henry Ayers and Edward Parkes. From 2014 onwards, the brand built a reputation for delivering exceptional specialty coffee rooted in tradition yet crafted for the modern urban consumer. With a growing footprint across London and beyond during its operation, the business combined craftsmanship, hospitality and a distinctive brand identity.
TGP International was appointed as operational and design advisor to support the transformation of the business from a small-scale operator into a scalable multi-site brand. The brief focused on expanding from three locations to a robust portfolio of coffee houses alongside the development of a flagship roastery while maintaining brand integrity and operational consistency.
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The concept reinterprets the spirit of traditional British coffee houses for a contemporary audience. Inspired by heritage, etiquette and storytelling, the brand blends classic sensibilities with a playful modern tone creating a welcoming character-rich environment that resonates across diverse locations while remaining distinctly recognisable.
TGP delivered a cohesive interior design language that reflects the brand’s identity , timeless, refined and layered with narrative detail. Materials, finishes and spatial planning were carefully considered to ensure consistency across sites while allowing flexibility for different locations. The design extends from front-of-house experience to back-of-house efficiency including the integration of a state-of-the-art roastery in Stratford.
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A clear growth strategy was implemented to enable rapid but controlled expansion. This included operational frameworks, site selection support, brand positioning and scalable systems to maintain quality across multiple locations. The approach ensured commercial viability while strengthening brand equity and customer loyalty in an increasingly competitive coffee market.
Within 18 months, The Gentlemen Baristas successfully expanded from three locations to over twelve sites including the launch of a flagship roastery. The brand has since established a strong presence across London with growing international reach supported by TGP’s ongoing global representation. The result is a distinctive scalable coffee concept that balances heritage, quality and modern hospitality at scale.
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