The next chapter of The Warren
For the last while, I’ve been sitting with a big question:
How does The Warren continue in a way that is sustainable for the people inside it, not just the people eating in it?
I’ve built something I’m deeply proud of here. I’ve also learned, through experience, that the traditional hospitality model can ask too much of a small team and too much of one person trying to hold everything together. When it works, it’s magic. When it doesn’t, it can be exhausting and fragile.
Alongside The Warren, I’ve been building Cegin Hedyn, what I’ve learned there has reshaped how I think about work, ownership, and pace.
I’ve seen what happens when responsibility is shared, when people feel a sense of ownership, and when the purpose is clear. I’ve seen trust become a system rather than a burden carried by one person.
This page is me sharing where I’m at, openly, and inviting others into the conversation.
Nothing here is decided yet. This is a listening and testing phase.
A longer-term direction I’m exploring
I’m exploring whether The Warren could move towards a more co-operative way of working, and possibly a community ownership model in the longer term.
That might include things like:
More shared decision-making and transparency
Clearer systems and boundaries that protect people’s energy
Fair pay and meaningful involvement
Exploring legal structures such as a Community Benefit Society, which are designed for community benefit and can support community investment
This does not mean anything is changing overnight. It does not mean a full reopening. It does not mean I have all the answers.
It means I’m curious about whether there’s a better way of doing this, together.
A small, practical experiment
Alongside the bigger thinking, I’m considering a very small, practical experiment.
One idea is to open one day a week on Sundays for lunch, as a gentle pilot.
Not as “The Warren is back”, but as a way to test:
Is there demand for a simple, well-run Sunday lunch?
Can it work financially without too much pressure?
Can we trial a calmer, more co-operative way of working in practice?
If it works, we can build from there.
If it doesn’t, we learn something honest without burning anyone out in the process.
This is a listening phase
If any of this resonates, I’d love to hear from you.
There are a few different ways you might be interested in being involved, and none of them come with any obligation at this stage.
You might be:
Interested in helping shape the long-term direction, including co-operative working, governance, systems, or community ownership ideas
Interested in helping trial the Sunday lunch pilot in a paid, Sunday-only, low-pressure way
Curious and wanting to stay informed as things unfold
To keep this manageable and fair, I’m collecting interest through the short form below rather than through messages or comments.
A few important boundaries
To protect the pace and the people involved, it’s important to be clear:
This is a trial and exploration phase
Nothing is guaranteed at this stage
Dates and formats will only be confirmed if and when the right support is in place
I want this to feel calm, human, and sustainable for everyone involved
If that still feels good to you, I’d love to hear from you.
Register your interest
Please fill in the short form below. This doesn’t commit you to anything. It simply opens a conversation and helps me understand who might be interested and how.
I’ll read every response and follow up where it feels like a good fit. This may take a little time, as I’m keeping this process intentionally slow and considered.
Thank you for being part of the conversation, and for caring about what places like this can be when we build them together.
Deri
