Summer in the city: The Churchill Bar & Terrace

As the sun beats down on Britain’s capital on yet another glorious summer day, the city’s open-air watering holes draw crowds of thirsty Londoners. So if you stumble across an elegant outdoor bar that isn’t thronged with people, you know you’ve found a hidden gem.

Tucked away in the surprisingly quiet streets by Portman Square, just yards from the heady rush of Marble Arch and Oxford Street, The Churchill Bar & Terrace is the perfect spot to stop and rest after a trip to Selfridges or a stroll in Hyde Park.

The bar is part of the luxury Hyatt Regency Hotel, and is a lovely calming space of muted greys and browns with touches of golden glamour. On the secluded terrace you are hidden from interested passers-by and can sit back and peruse the extensive cocktail menu.

Here you may also find yourself next to Sir Winston Churchill (the man from whom the bar takes its name) – a specially commissioned life-size bronze of a young Churchill entitled ‘In Conversation’ sits relaxed with a drink and a cigar. Cast by renowned sculptor Lawrence Holofcener who also created  ‘Allies’, the much loved statue of Sir Winston and Franklin D Roosevelt on a bench on Bond Street, the great man seems perfectly at home in this relaxed spot.

Soon you’ll forget he’s even there though once you try a refreshing glass of cool South African rosé or sample the hotel’s signature champagne. There are also some delicious edible delights on offer, including an addictive lobster cocktail and appetising seafood sharing plates.

Why not take advantage of the summer sun this evening and stay ahead of the crowds with a drink or two with ‘Britain’s Greatest Briton’?