ITS patrons have included Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh and Marlene Dietrich. And now a touch of the glamour will be coming to Tunbridge Wells when the famous Ivy Restaurant opens a new brasserie on the on the High Street.
Taking over the premises previously occupied by the ill-fated Jamie’s Italian, The Ivy Royal Tunbridge Wells will be welcoming discerning diners from November.
The restaurant will have approximately 105 covers, making up the main restaurant, bar and a Parisian style alfresco seating area, for guests to enjoy throughout the year.
With a menu modelled on its West End namesake, the Tunbridge Wells Ivy will serve a selection of ‘The Ivy classics’, such as: shepherd’s pie, Eggs Benedict, brioche crumbled chicken Milanese and its strawberry ice cream sundae, will be provided by former Gordon Ramsey protégé, and  Executive Chef, Sean Burbidge.
The announcement of the Ivy’s opening comes after the quarterly Business Intelligence Report by Royal Tunbridge Wells Together identified ‘food and drink’ establishments the most prominent type of business in the town centre.
In total, 128 businesses offer ‘food and drink’ services, far exceeding the next biggest category, ‘health and beauty’, which occupy 78 premises.
According to the report, this indicates “An affluent local demographic with disposal income and leisure time”.
