New wine bar and artist team up to create ‘cool place’

A NEW wine shop and bar opens in Henley today (Friday).

Jacobini in Hart Street has taken over the former White Garden florists premises next to Café Rouge.

It has a selection of more than 100 wines from around the world, which are served by the bottle or glass together with tapas, antipasto and Thai dishes.

Wine curator Eddie McGee said: “The biggest difference between us and other wine bars is that we are a wine store first and foremost and we pour the best glass in town.

“I don’t think there’s anyone else who does what we do. We won’t carry second-rate products.”

The business is owned by John Hatfield, 66, who lives above the premises and has previously worked as a cowboy in Canada and a teacher in Epsom.

He was also a children’s TV presenter in Rome, where he spent 15 years and first fell in love with wine. He befrinded the Jacobini family, after whom the business is named, who own a winery near the city.

Mr Hatfield had returned to Britain and was was passing through Henley last year when he noticed the premises were available. He then went back to see the Jacobinis and came up with the idea for the business.

He said: “It had always been a pipe dream to have an enoteca — that is what they call wine bars in Italy. I had already entered negotiations and was able to get a lease.”

The business ran a pop-up bar on the terrace at Red Lion Lawn, near Henley Bridge, during this year’s Henley Royal Regatta.

Mr Hatfield said: “We appreciate that Henley has some demand for excellence in quality and that is one of the things that drew us here.

“One of the things we love about Henley is the scale of it. It’s not too big and it’s not too small. It’s unique and has got a real buzz.

“There is a quality to Henley — it’s uplifting without being pretentious, it’s charming without being twee.”

He has employed Henley artist Kirsten Jones to display her art around the premises. Mr Hatfield said: “I was always going to do something with local artists and local businesses.

“We love Henley and we want to reach out and embrace it.”

Ms Jones, who lives in King’s Road, said: “We’re working together. There’s quite a lot of synergy and the space lends itself nicely to the art.

“It’s a creative and welcoming space for people to enjoy a glass of wine, chat and look at some art.

“A lot of the pieces are of Henley. I’m inspired by the space and views over the water. I use a lot of Henley maps in my work.”

Mr Hatfield also hopes to create a spa in the upstairs of the building. 

“The idea is we’ll have beauty and spa activities upstairs and the wine and art downstairs,” he said.

“We’d like it to be a cool place for creative people to gather.”