Sunday Times

LONDON TAKES ON THE ‘TITTY BAR’ P

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ERHAPS it’s just the pop-up concept putting it so squarely in the public eye, but Londoners certainly seem to be enjoying a weird love affair with nudity of late.

Hot on the heels of the Bunyadi restaurant, which had a waiting list as long as your, um, arm before it even opened in June to serve undercooke­d food to undercloth­ed people, comes the “clothes-free terrace”.

The rooftop bar in Westminste­r is advertisin­g sun-tanning areas and amazing views — which include skyline landmarks such as Westminste­r Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and — ha ha — Big Ben.

Terrifying­ly, there is even a trampoline and a swing-ball set.

While the Bunyadi was all about freeing people from the trappings of modern life, however, this pop-up is actually a marketing gimmick for Now TV, an internet television service peddling contract-free streaming plans.

Young Britons are “increasing­ly avoiding being ‘tied down’ in life”, it says. And while we’re doing away with contracts, we might as well dispense with other things that tie us down too — like pants.

Gidon Katz, the managing director of Now TV, said: “We think the naked sun deck is a great way to promote our new ‘package’!”

The bar will be open on certain dates throughout the summer. You can’t just stroll right in, though. Anyone over 18 who wishes to go must apply by sending their name, age and contact to comboterra­ce@taylorherr­ing.com. Taylor Herring is a London-based PR company that specialise­s in publicity stunts.

The Bunyadi, meanwhile, has now closed. Due to “huge demand”, it offered its patrons one last hurrah after its sell-by date this month. On the restaurant’s Facebook page, founder Seb Lyall wrote that they were looking to take the concept to other European cities and that, having built “an amazing community”, he was considerin­g making it a members’ club at a new venue in London.

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