Miles of the Caravan

Caravan opened in February this year by first-time restaurant owner Miles Kirby along with three other friends. 

Miles dived into the crowded London restaurant scene at the end of this winter and seems to have surfaced with a smile on his face.  The restaurant is situated on Exmouth Market, a part-pedestrianised street little known by tourists and frequented by those working and living in the area. 

The two front walls of the building are made of floor-to-ceiling glass, quite telling if the place is dead. Though seeing as it’s usually busy there’s no problem there. The place has a friendly, laid-back atmosphere, with oodles of small plates on offer to snack on and a huge coffee roasting machine in the basement. 
 
Are you from London originally?
 
‘No, we’re all (four owners) from Wellington, New Zealand. We all worked together in a restaurant around 15 years ago. I wouldn’t say we had plans to set up a restaurant together but it just made sense – we’ve come full circle really!’ 

When did you move to London ?
 
‘In 2001, after spending a year in the Netherlands. You get a working visa as a birth right, and there’s a cut-off point for that. I was fast approaching it so thought I’d make the move.’
 
Where do you live in London ?
 
‘I live in Barnsbury, between the Caledonian Road and Liverpool Road. I live on a really quiet road with a church at the end, there’s no through traffic. I lived there by myself for two years and a friend’s just recently moved in with me.’
 
What made you decide to set up a restaurant?
 
‘I’d been a chef for 15 years. The industry is such that if you don’t end up setting up by yourself you end up working for someone else and you’re never going to get the praise that you really deserve. Even as a head chef you work your arse off and someone always takes the credit. It’s something you have to do or you’re just going to have a mediocre existence. As a chef, it’s important to express yourself and grow.’
 
Why Exmouth Market?
 
‘We looked about for a year-and-a-half for a suitable site. We knew what our concept was. We wanted to roast coffee in a restaurant environment so we stayed true to what we wanted to do. We looked at literally hundreds of places! We heard this site was up for sale and were all really excited – I used to cycle past it every night on my way home from work. I love it round here – everyone is so friendly. There’s a small town feeling. It’s great, but when there’s no one around its nice if you live here but not so good if you’re trying to run a business.’
 
What are the difficulties in setting up a new business in London?
 
‘There was so much legal work going back and forth, maybe there wouldn’t be so much in Wellington. I know people who have set places up on a hand shake there. I think people are probably more self-protecting here which is a good thing as it protects us too.’

What was the hardest thing you had to over-come while setting up caravan?

‘Nothing went majorly wrong although there were many hiccups on the way. As a chef, I am not really accustomed to hanging around on a building site and felt a little like a fish out of water for most of the time. We were lucky to have a great team of friends and builders, headed up by Chris Ammermann my business partner, that helped to take the pain away. Having said all of this, about an hour out from opening, we realized the under floor heating had been plumbed incorrectly and was turning the place into a giant fridge in the heart of a cold London winter. Great!’

What would you recommend everyone do in London at least once?

‘Get a band together with your best friends and play a gig in a London pub. Rock on YOKOMONO the best band in the world.’

What would your ideal night out in London involve?

‘Dinner on the robata at Roka, seeing the Pixies at Brixton Academy then back to mine for drinks and records. Post night out recovery would be brunch at The Tapa Room then a day bed in the sun at Shoreditch house. Yes!’

How does London life differ to life in Wellington, and what do you miss most about home?

‘Life in Wellington was a lot more relaxed, I was quite a bit younger when I lived there last and far less career-minded I suppose. For these reasons I had a lot more time to enjoy things that I subsequently miss – my family, particularly my nephews and nieces, driving and of course regular visits to nearby beaches. I also miss really good Malaysian food.’

What do you miss most about London when you’re away? 

‘When not in London, I miss Caravan coffee.’

Caravan
11-13 Exmouth Market
Clerkenwell
EC1R 4QD

Twl: 020 7833 8115