The Story Behind Simplicity: The Perfect Pre-Concert Treat
If you joined us for our April secret concert at the Brunel Museum, you might have spotted the new bakery just across the road - Simplicity.
Serving up the freshest, homemade Italian food, it’s the perfect pre-concert treat. We’re so excited to be partnering with them to stay open late for all of our Brunel Museum concerts this season!
Hannah caught up with Simplicity’s founder Nicoletta Loiacono to find out about their story.
Photos by Stefano Broli
The Story Behind Simplicity
A space for more than food
Simplicity was created as a space that goes beyond a traditional bakery, a place where food, creativity, and community come together. The idea was born from a desire to slow things down and create more meaningful, sensory experiences around food, whether through supper clubs, workshops, or intimate gatherings.
Rooted in connection
At its heart, Simplicity is about connection. Everything we do is rooted in seasonality, care, and the intention to bring people together in a way that feels warm, honest, and human. It’s not just about what’s on the plate, but about the atmosphere, the conversations, and the feeling people leave with.
A personal connection to the space
The story of the space itself feels deeply personal. I lived in Rotherhithe for four years, walking past what was then a restaurant almost every day. I remember constantly noticing its potential, imagining what it could become, but never truly thinking it would one day be mine. There’s something quite magical about that now, looking back.
When everything changed
Everything changed after my partner was involved in a serious accident at work, which left him hospitalised and bed-bound for months. I had to leave my job to care for him full-time. It was a moment that felt uncertain and overwhelming, but also one that quietly opened a new way of seeing life.
A moment of reflection
In that stillness, I began to reconnect with what I truly wanted, to create something of my own. I had always dreamt of building a space where people could come together to create, share knowledge, and simply be themselves, all centred around food and a beautiful, welcoming atmosphere.
The unexpected opportunity
When I approached the previous owner of Simplicity to ask if I could rent the space for a day to host one of my events, I never expected what he would tell me, after 20 years, he was ready to move on and sell. There were already several interested buyers, and one had even started legal proceedings.
Taking the leap
But something in me didn’t hesitate. I told him I wanted the space, that I had a vision for it. The reality was, I didn’t have the money. I had been at home for months, starting again from scratch. But I made a decision in that moment: I would find a way.
A vision on paper
He asked me to go home, think it through, and come back that same evening with a business plan. Within two hours, I had written something that captured everything I had been holding onto, my ideas, my vision, and the kind of place I wanted Simplicity to become. He believed in it, and he gave us the opportunity.
Built by community
The next challenge was funding it. Without access to a bank loan, we turned to community. Friends and family came together to support us, each contributing what they could so we could secure the deposit for the lease. In many ways, Simplicity was built collectively from the very beginning.
Bringing the space to life
We renovated the space ourselves, stripping it back and rebuilding it with the help of friends, creatives, and professionals who believed in what we were creating. It was hard work, but it was also full of energy, laughter, and a shared sense of purpose.
A dream realised
And now, standing in the space, welcoming people in, seeing it come alive, it’s hard to put into words what that feels like. There is so much joy in it. So much gratitude. It feels like living something I once only imagined in passing.
More than a business
Simplicity is not just a business. It’s a dream that grew through resilience, community, and belief, and today, it’s a space that I’m deeply proud to share.
Photos by Stefano Broli
Our next concert at Brunel Museum is on the 14th May - be sure to arrive with a bit of extra time to give Simplicity a visit!
Experience DEBUT’s atmospheric Secret Concert series south of the rive at the Brunel Museum, set inside the extraordinary Thames Tunnel Shaft — a hidden, cathedral-like chamber with breathtaking acoustics. Expect candlelit cabaret seating, soaring brick walls, and world-class musicians performing just a few feet away.
MUSICIANS
Kang Yang GuZheng
Isabelle Peters soprano
Mark Rogers collaborative piano
Lizzie Holmes soprano & host
Sam Peña resident pianist & improvisor