Catching THE 007 at London’s Burlington Arcade

On the sixtieth anniversary of Goldfinger – and at the very moment the film first premiered in London on September 17th 1964 – EON Productions and Burlington Arcade held a grand celebration to mark the launch of The 007, Goldfinger and all things Bond.

With the Piccadilly retail haven already a proven great destination for Bond celebrations and 007-skewed champagne respites, it makes total sense that both our man James and the Burlington Beadles should be once again sharing house-space. From the lengthy carpet spanning the whole length of the famous arcade and punctuated with an underfoot cavalcade of Goldfinger movie quotes to the almost chocolate-like DB5s suspended from the ceiling with a chassis logo nod to the film’s iconic Corgi toy car, the Burlington Arcade is once again a bespoke and photo-tastic winter grotto of James Bond, movie glamour and gilded fantasy.

And at one end of the Arcade, a perfectly titled pop-up bar installation is the focus of this golden commemoration of how 1964 changed not just the Bond series, but also cinema itself.

With its granite black facade flanked by golden art-deco panelling and circular screens gun-barreling the Bond message at all passers by, The 007 is a brand new gilded destination designed initially to celebrate Goldfinger, but also Commander Bond and his golden world.

From now until December 31 2024 the free to visit Bond bar (it is actually two bars) will welcome all visitors with rare props, genuinely special artefacts, production designs, costumes, Pussy Galore’s gold waistcoat, Auric Goldfinger’s golfing shoes, Oddjob’s hat, a gold bar signed by Connery back in the 1960s, an Academy Award, original Fleming first editions, film-used trappings, international posters, old and new artworks and Goldfinger rarities.

Furthermore, Bond’s brands such as N. Peal, Globe-Trotter and Crockett & Jones are not only Arcade neighbours. They are also boasting their own Goldfinger minded collections, clothing and fashion. The Royal Mint, Orlebar Brown, Bogner, Lock & Co. hatters and Assouline book store are all in the walkable vicinity and extend the Bond shopping experience with their respective celebratory products into quite the Mayfair affair.

With two very separate bar spaces quite deliciously designed and conceived, The 007 offers a gilded cocktail and champagne menu mixed by the best agents fully versed in the adventuring potential of a good Bollinger, Belvedere Vodka, Blackwell Rum and Macallan whisky.

Bollinger’s Special Cuvee, PN Collection, Rose, R.D, and La Grande Annee 2015 are all available by the glass or bottle – with magnums too for the Cuvee and the Rose. The shaken and stirred trappings of a Belvedere Vodka are of course a Bond must. And it is the main element in a Bespoke Martini, Vodka Martini, Vesper, Dirty Martini and the new signature The 007 – all slick twists on a spy classic.

Further aptly titled cocktails include The Oddjob, The GoldenEye, The M and The Goldfinger. This bullet catcher definitely recommends the Blackwell Rum long-served trappings of The Oddjob. And The Goldfinger‘s Macallan Double Cask makes full use of its twelve year old vintage and their sixtieth anniversary limited edition casket. And the deep tones, salted honey syrup and orange zest of The Macallan 12 based The M is typically solid and relentless.

Designed over three levels, upstairs at The 007 sees a slickly stocked boutique 007 store. Not physically seen in London since Bond in Motion closed its garage doors, the first 007 walk-in shop at the Arcade is a wallet-destroying treat. With festive needs not a million days away, The 007‘s store is a welcome and welcoming physical alternative to online buying. As the price tag of some higher end minded James Bond merchandise and lifestyle wares are indeed somewhat a midas touch many an agent cannot make – although those items are always sought and bought – the fun store at The 007 is testament to how a great deal of the merchandise surrounding our man James is wholly and deliberately affordable. And rest assured – this bullet catcher is working on a Lego Lotus Esprit being a thing one day. And maybe some fortieth anniversary A View to a Kill oven gloves for 2025. Maybe.

The beauty of this new outlet is one can see the cute, slick and stylish items up close – which will lead to Bond fans of any category walking out of Burlington Arcade with a classy swag bag full of Goldfinger pencils, socks, chocolate treats, kitchen ware, poster reprints, pens, glassware, Bollinger, Blackwell Rum, Skyfall snow globes, books, key fobs, production designs and golf trinkets. The first twenty-five visitors at the till on each day may well receive some rare treats and the store will be updating and adding new stocks and additions all the way to the end of 2024.

On the night of September 17th 2024 and almost to the minute that Goldfinger first held its nearly riotous London premiere just down the road at the Odeon Leicester Square sixty years ago, The 007 was launched in fine Bond and Mayfair style.

A gilded array of Bond alumni, actors, actresses, technicians, designers, photographers, fashionistas, broadcasters, composers, critics, authors, journalists, vintage Bond cars, archivists, lifestylers, musicians, stunt drivers, brand ambassadors, Bond HQ staff, collaborators, Bond’s working family and Burlington Arcade staff all raised some slickly mixed cocktails to toast The 007.

Many thanks to EON Productions and Burlington Arcade.

The 007

12-13 Burlington Arcade, London

Entrance is free. Open now until 31 December 2024

Opening hours: 1000-1900 / Monday-Saturday and 1100-1800 on Sunday

To book your table at The 007 contact [email protected]

Catching the launch of THE 007 at London’s Burlington Arcade

Catching THE 007 at London’s Burlington Arcade