Originally written during the height of pandemic restrictions, this article explained how rooftop bars were reimagining the guest experience to operate safely. From spaced-out seating and table service to contactless ordering and capacity limits, these venues were navigating constantly evolving guidance while striving to preserve the atmosphere people loved.
This piece remains on my site as a record of how dramatically hospitality had to transform almost overnight. It highlights the creativity, determination and sheer hard work that went into keeping rooftop spaces open and guests reassured. While the circumstances were challenging and, for some venues, unsustainable in the long term, this was a defining chapter in the story of London’s rooftops.
July 2020: Wondering whether rooftops will be the same fun they used to be? Concerned at how safe you will be and feel? Or are you looking at rooftops now as a socially distancing solution for your summer socialising?
In just over a week, I managed to rooftop-hop back to six of my favourite rooftop bars in London — all conveniently within walking distance of Waterloo, my main station. At the time, I wasn’t quite ready to get back on the Tube, so staying local felt like the right first step. If you’re still unsure whether to venture out, here are 10 things you’ll find different:
1. Booking: Before the pandemic, many rooftop bars operated on a walk-in basis. However, the landscape has shifted, and booking in advance has become the norm. While walk-ins are still accepted at some venues, it comes with a degree of risk. Some rooftop bars now require deposits for bookings, which feels reasonable, as long as they’re refundable. However, Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie currently doesn’t require a deposit, and during their first week back after a four-month closure, 231 people booked and didn’t show up. That’s harsh. So please, cancel any bookings you can’t make, whether a deposit was required or not.
2. Hand sanitiser: It’s everywhere! Freely available, highly visible and actively encouraged. You’ll find stations at entrances, outside toilets and often at the bar itself. Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie even had sanitiser in the lift, a small touch, but a reassuring one.
3. PPE & masks: I was genuinely surprised by the real mishmash of who was wearing what and who wasn’t. At Radio Rooftop, staff were fully visored up, which felt very visible and reassuring. At other rooftops, it was more mixed: some team members wore masks, while others didn’t. It definitely varied from venue to venue, and even from person to person. So if this bothers you, it would be worth asking ahead of visiting.
4. Menus: Aqua Shard, Seabird and Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie now have QR codes on the tables linking directly to the menu, all you need is your phone camera to access it. Radio Rooftop has introduced disposable paper menus, while Bar Elba offers a set menu delivered verbally if you’re there for their bottomless brunch. Bar Elba was hugely popular, so much so that they appeared to have oversold and were having to move people around. It definitely felt like the busier, less risk-averse end of the spectrum.
5. Tables: I thought the spacing would feel and look really odd, sparse and a bit awkward, but it turns out a few metres isn’t that far after all. While capacities have clearly been reduced, which definitely helps with that sense of feeling safe, it doesn’t make the atmosphere weird or uncomfortable. If anything, it still feels surprisingly normal – just with a little more breathing space which I liked!
6. Sitting down: Now this I liked! A lot of the younger rooftop crowds are usually all about standing in groups, but now we must sit. No table-hopping, no joining other groups, no roaming around, and no pushing your way through to get to the bar. Everywhere I went people were very accommodating, making space and allowing each other to have the best experience possible. It felt more considerate and, in many ways, more relaxed
7. Ordering: I’d heard that you’d be ordering online from your table and collecting drinks from a designated point. Maybe that’s happening in indoor bars, but it’s not what I’ve experienced so far. While physical menus have largely been removed, ordering itself felt surprisingly normal. It was actually nice to still be able to ask questions and get advice from your waiter, just from a safe distance. The interaction was still there, just slightly adapted.
8. Sitting at the bar: While this didn’t apply to the rooftops I visited, most venues do have indoor bars. What was immediately noticeable was that the stools were all gone. The exception was Seabird, where the raw bar is in a square layout, allowing each party to sit socially distanced on each side. It felt like a smart way to maintain the bar vibe safely.
9. One-way systems: Radio Rooftop and Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie now have anti-clockwise systems. This means you can head to the toilets without bumping into staff or other guests coming the opposite way. Seabird has markings on the stairs down to its toilets to keep to the left. It all feels a lot more organised and much more civilised!
10. Entrances and exits: Lifts are now restricted to just you and your party, which makes getting up and down feel much safer. Bar Elba is one rooftop with stairs and now has a new exit route. But if you love snapping those iconic selfies on their stairs, don’t wait until the end, you’ll be leaving via a less selfie-rooftop route!
Summary: If you’re feeling nervous or vulnerable, you might find just how “normal” it feels a little unsettling. For me, someone who hadn’t even had a picnic yet, it was reassuring enough without taking away from the experience. It’s worth remembering that keeping safe is also our responsibility: washing our hands, keeping our distance from other guests, and generally following the guidance that feels right for you. Go to places when you’re ready, and at a pace that works for you, in line with the government’s guidelines. One thing that hasn’t changed however are the views!
