Local entrepreneurs invest over £1m into new 'speakeasy' Durham supper club

Local restaurateurs have invested over £1m to open their new flagship eatery on Durham’s Hallgarth Street.

Nigel and Deborah Gadd have opened the doors to The Rabbit Hole, an opulent 1920s Shanghai-inspired jazz supper club.

Set within an 18th century building, the 50-seater dining room is set across several mezanine floors, with an interior combining the likes of velvet and mirrors.

The niche restaurant has a duel personality, with the menu being part oriental, part classic grill cuisine, meant for sharing.

Nigel Gadd said: “After 37 years of being in the hospitality trade, we saw an opportunity for a completely different dining experience. We have our own ‘house rules’, where guest are asked to dress for the occasion and wear upscale attire.

“With a warren of elegant bars, mezzanine floors, hidden passages and doorways, there’s simply nothing like it in the North East. Think exclusive, intimate and indulgent. That’s what we wanted to deliver to diners.”

This ‘hidey-hole’ venue has a speakeasy element; hidden away behind an innocuous antique shop accessible only through a secret side door off Mavin Street, one of Durham’s tiny alleys.

The restaurant will be open seven days a week for dinner and on Sunday afternoons between midday and 6pm.

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