A high street cafe that closed after more than a decade of trading is to become a new jazz and blues watering hole. The Grapevine Champagne & Jazz Bar is to open its doors in Tenterden this summer. The company already has an existing venue in Rye, meaning its Kent branch will be the second on its books.
It will replace Savannah Coffee Shop, which called it a day earlier this year after 14 years at The Cellars premises. The Grapevine has been running in Rye since 2015 and serves guests fine wines, handcrafted cocktails and champagne. It also offers live jazz music from a range of local musicians five nights each week.
One of its key figures is co-owner and East Sussex resident Oliver Kinsley. The 23-year-old, who first managed the bar in 2019, left the bistro during the pandemic to set-up a digital marketing company. After the former Open University student then “got very lucky” with the business, he decided to purchase The Grapevine having found a business partner in 54-year-old Peter Ockenden.
He says its success has left him wanting to continue a career in hospitality and running jazz bars. His passion has led to him now earmarking Tenterden as the next chapter in The Grapevine’s journey. Mr Kinsley explained: “The Grapevine in Rye has been running since 2015, but we took it over in 2021.
“I left due to Covid and set up a business which I got very lucky with, but then had the opportunity to purchase the bar and found a business partner in Peter. “We kept the nam.
