https://youtu.be/minUy5Y20uI: Video automatically transcribed by Sonix

https://youtu.be/minUy5Y20uI: this minUy5Y20uI video file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors.

Hello and welcome back to business. As you as unusual. Happy Friday, my name is Megan from greater London. Properties, for those that are tuning in fresh today and just to give you a little bit of background as to what we're doing here and greater London properties. Created a Facebook group called Central London's lockdown support group. This was mainly just to support businesses in central, London, as well as organizations and Charities that are either open or closed and still

Generate some revenue for businesses and we've started doing these live chats. It's been two weeks now, 11:30 every day we are back next week as well. And it's mainly just to meet the business, the people behind the businesses and just to give them that platform, really just to expose what they're doing at the moment. And yes, to give them that little bit of their time. We've got Paul today from vasco's and Piero's Pavillion restaurants, who is also the son of Vasco

All Hello. Thank you so much for joining us here today. I know that the or restaurant is very popular because it's been around for such a long time in SoHo and it's based on 15 Poland Street, which is just around the corner from our office and Paul for the people that don't know, tell as a little bit more about the history of the restaurant and how you got started. Well the restaurant started in 1971. So it's 50 years

Old and new started by my father. Let's go just one moment.

This is bad. I wondered what that was. Then not at all. It's a statue of, I would hope. So that's going. So and that was client, customer values. Many years ago as a hobby and he did it, he used to be based in Dublin Street, I know and he made this bust and then he get a deck. Isn't it too?

And we've had interest in every sense and because it's all about here longevity because Soho the London and the UK is all about tradition, longevity. And we'll all come back from this. Come back from being locked down with our families and cooking at home and a lot of hugging now, family in our home, actually. Maybe it's better not to come, but it's quite fun actually been home.

Maybe. Yes, we will come back to this. Thank you. So it's not nicer to run the restaurant, and it started in Oxford Street is a big shop. As you all know, Chrome expenses. And then next that they used to be Cinema because it can be Cinema and be and Below kind of simmer. Those, the Marquis we're all you rock and rollers used to go in the city.

How would I make? No not yet and it starts to it starts love with his people. Love people in the fashion business and 70s and and people like trigger was around then and all the rock stars that, that stage there are people. I know Lord Lloyd Webber in one corner, making these wonderful musicals, the pythons were

Around those days, The Kinks and kids, and she's in the Banshees. And they used to all party at this place, which you speak Italian restaurant above, this wonderful, Art House Cinema, call the canvas syndrome, and people sometimes would get lost in, go to the toilet, get lost in, turn up in the restaurant Braxton. And and this went on for many years and sometimes so to Chapel come out and start singing

And I promote starts doing karaoke in the 70s until 2:00 3:00 in the morning. And at lunchtime, it was full of people, the people that would come round and it, they'll just have the executive lunches there and then logical was born in the 70s as well. And it's through great. Some could see facts and they're involved a seat backs and they are not Studios were around this area.

Then by the time, the 80s occurred, there was Sony Music around and all types of companies that worked with Sony music and they started polishing their. Then by 87 the whole building was sold off its inner walls collapsed and we carried on for another year or two with nothing underneath and then we eventually moved through 15,000 streets in 89 and we continue to longevity about

Fat simple, menus great food from home via, which is in central Italy. Their task names and a chef's come over. They look for us, they do great things. The mother phoned up there is, when you coming back, your house is built. Your fiancée is ready to marry. You come back. Well, we don't pass in the phone for you to, we say, no, your mom. He's not phoning you today. And then eventually we have to send it back to see where they open their own restaurants.

It's quite fun. Yeah, we've changed menu every day. I love that and we just in the old days and 70s, they used to do it by hand printer. Okay, there's a handprint went on every day and we make them fresh pasta in 70s. And we, I think we had the first all Italian windiest who just create by one company, koala Vini. And we just continue that those theories.

And then I realize how you've just seen Soho just over time because obviously, it's just it's a real insight into the into the history of Soho. And it's, it's amazing to hear, to be honest. I just love this because we've been around. I think that the office has been around since 2003, and I know the Rob's been around for a lot longer as well, but just to hear the background of the 60s and the 70s and Soho. I'm just, I'm loving this and then it started.

With the new Romantics, and they would have had here and Duran Duran, and Spandau Ballet, and people like that. And they just fun, and they just go from one place to another. And we were just in, people were just in people's little black book so to speak. We don't have a window of the door. We look like an office to a lot of people and we've always kept that because people start to lunchtime and they leave at 1:00 in the morning, sir.

It's like a locking. It's well, it's because sometimes you just give them the keys.

That's brilliant. I love the feel of it because it just feels like such a like a lovely atmosphere and I love the, the slogan that you, that you have on your website, which is just very true even by speaking to you now. So, we're not here to. Wow, we're just here to serve good, Italian food, and I think just having something like that as your main slogan, I think that it will draw people in because they can just see that you're really authentic and it is just all about that atmosphere in the people that come in. And I really, I really like that about your restaurant has a good feel.

Feel weird about the clerk, customers not about us. Yeah, that's what makes it very special and people have had all through their lives. Here they've come. Is children all the way up to being executive company. Here we should have people and we give you the phone on the lead. I've seen your picture with present League one day, making some heavy

These come there that he comes and he always has his mobile phones, Etc. And so I think this will change the checklist. Hi, we are free to come light, obviously, people died, two people share plates. Now little, we still have table cloths, which is an old-fashioned, but the reason of templates also, it is because it makes it less noisy. Because, you know, what, our customers like to chat. They like to talk, I mean, this they come to Western and they actually want to

Talk. So we have it doesn't happen very often anymore, do they? We don't have people who are texting or talking on the phone. They actually took to the friends and and their clients. And so we have tablecloths and we also have acoustic boat so pattern sound panels which definitely noise so people can chat as someone once said. If they want to go at least music, they go to a concert the

Still they come to eat. And so we're bit old-fashioned that respect, but I think people appreciate that because they can chat. We don't have time slots. You don't have, stay out. Say we have to move, leave. Now, we worked things out. You keep people happy and we give them the kids in the night, so that was brilliant. I really like that. It's just such a, I can't wait to visit. I know that my director Rob said that he was it's quite often.

Often and he always brings clients there in his. Favorite dish is the calves liver and simple things, which we just just buy the best slice, it very thinly. And we take every nerve out because you just get a business or liver because the nerve and then a very hot pan and just tack tack and then serve Simplicity, and that's what we're about. And that's why people like a food because they can eat it every day and it's not complicated, and they go to other type places.

Which are fabulous and complicated and wonderful like you will know them, and that's great but they will not go to them every day they come to us every day. Yeah, simply solo passages simple. We do through three types of passive day which officially make them and then just one second. If you're if you're as you said your boss is watching

Maybe this might help just too is that it's like they're just just to get a stomach rumbling.

Nice as making me hungry. Oh yeah there is no he's commented. I am indeed.

Really always has made me hungry. Now for you,

Tell us them. Tell us a little bit more because obviously just hearing you talk about the history. Now, is getting me even more excited about the book because you've created a history book because you guys have been around quite a while, haven't you? Yeah. I'll tell you what. My father, Vasco still around and still very much involved.

Business. He

Turned 18 this year. Wow that's a surprise. I organized last two years. A history book which is the story of it's not too large but it's a story of the restaurant within the context of Soho and the change evilly National of Soho and Eve Regional food. So it's not a cookbook and it's just a nice little story of his life and with with stories of around Soho and how the food

Change and over the years as well. And this special thing about that is that there are little Snippets as well from our customers and so I can write some. So we have, oh, I only have an hour, it took some of these customers have commented with over the years. So for example like this I only have an hour but don't tell my guests.

I'm coming again tonight but don't tell my wife. I was there for here for lunch as well.

I'm meeting my ex-wife. So please put me in the corner as they'll be a lot of shouting. Oh God.

I like my spinach cooked for 30 seconds, only.

It just sounds so brilliant. Sounds like you've got some great regulars.

Yes. Yeah, that's what makes but and that's why at the moment, the most important thing, also covers is keep in touch with them, which we are every day and also keep in touch with our team because they miss this so much. And then miss the, the customers. So, we're the phoniest, emailing us to see. Now, we are and that phony out our team as well in the phone, Judea my business manager, and we just keep in touch them.

You can upload as well and and they don't lock down with two three people their family as well. And and that they are all saying that they miss us. They miss the restaurant which means it's not just the restaurant because we had nothing special or anything. We're just part of their lives, which is so whole. And what and that and it means them isn't Soho and the missing one going in the office. They're missing having their lunch or dinner. Listening going for a drink, don't you think it's going?

See her meeting their wives meeting, their husbands meeting their friends and colleagues, because people around area, when they go to work, they're not going to work. They're going the social life as well. And then, when they say, oh, it's great to work at home and more people do that. People still like to go out and it's more of an effort, once your base at home. And so people still comes into their still go to want to be in an office and they'll still want to entertain. And

Should rise as no idea. But yeah, I think that we have that kind of feel as well with in Graceland properties that we are all colleagues but we will really like to socialize with each other as well. So we do see it as you know, going to work every day and seeing people we really like and then we want to socialize with the map words and then go for lunch isn't and go for dinners and it's just part of life, isn't it? And it's something that we're all really missing and we're good.

Business is business, please don't sell themselves or get advice and think they. Okay. Welcome to make a deal online that thing by it's people. Like you who get things to the end and get things signed and and unique to see, please face to face and tell them the positive things about property and stuff. And then they make any business, I'll be saving, we can deliver food, but and people look online and text

Uh, Nate the scriptures, why food? But the little secret knowledge, ease and things that I have World from their my years of experience, and my team. Have that make bring it to life? Yeah. It's all about being there. Well, tell them before I forget, tell people just with, in regards to the book, where can they buy it? Because it was it. Yes, that's meant what we've done is put on the website, which is www.hyken.com food.com.

If you Google Vasco VSCO and food, I'm sure you'll fly people find it. They can't spell it completely. But we've always had long mentor and then it just online month, get it. And one can also get vouchers, 400 pounds worth of dining 475 pounds so that if people it gives them optimism, it gives them something to look forward to so that they think I have to go out and spread use this voucher now. So they kind of

Back on track clients or customers and because we have a lot of regulars and but this is nice what you're doing because you're showing people places like ourselves, which they may not know, or they may think it's wasn't for them but they may think, well, now maybe I'll give it a try. Yeah, yeah. I really hope that it does. I really hope that it does encourage people to buy the book as well, because I know that we definitely will. We always

Like to know what's going on and I know that we always like to know the history as well. It's just it just broadens our knowledge as because obviously if we're trying to someone that comes new to the area as well, to be able to give them the history and then, we can say all that, you know, we found out this history from vasco's restaurant, which is really great as well. So it's just that constant flow, isn't it? And of people that working in area, if you know the area as well as other people, then it just brings the area to life, and I think that then it can never be lost, which is great.

That's what size. But I mean, it's amazing. I we get invite sometimes to events and parties and you never saw they listed. And we didn't know those a society of useless information and they moved up every so often to talk about useless information pretty. It's just a thing quirky society that that occur. I mean, we have here the study Association that comes goes because this building

Was what Shelly at the poet used to live here once and so they come every few years and have a meeting downstairs and discuss the poetry and then every so often I get left on them because they want to correct for name to Shelly. So we they all thought they told tabs on user. Could feature rounds to home these old type of bars and clubs and meets with you, unless you

In that type of seen, whatever, that definition of a scene is you wouldn't hear about them. So these type of web at is and these. It's great to let people know of these other things are going on in the area. Yeah, because sometimes when you first arrived in London, it can be a little bit of a lonely place because you don't know about these things. So I know that because I moved from Bristol originally. So when I moved over and kind of arrived in London, I was like, oh I'm really excited. It's going to be really busy. And there's lots of things to do and then you're kind of

Like, so what is there to do? And you have to know people to know it. So even just with this, you know, the history Burke and finding that little bit more and talking to people. And, you know, when you find your first property of the estate, agent knows what's going on, then you set up really. So, it's just so great. I've really enjoyed speaking to you today, I really really cheered up by Friday and I feel that there's a lot of sadness around and

I just hope that chair, you know, be properly as well because it's there. It's, there is a future and it's this is just, it's going to make change. There may be further problems things, but it really think people get out over this. Yeah, well, that's right. Can I just say hello to all my team? They're not, it's not so not to under 50 of them.

Can I just say hello to you? Please dress man. Well, let's see. Oh no Leonardo.

We are used to having zero French. French colleague girlfriend's coming. So she's rubbing off on me and we love. So we love all the people out customers and please come back to miss all your hugs and kisses take care. Just really quickly. I want you to is vasco's cooking, isn't he? Yes well Fescue is our home and we're obviously with my mother and he's wait are we get

Board is cooking for all the neighbors. So, yes. They, they had to, I want to get started, give day. They had some gnocchi, they absolutely makes the sauce is great and they obviously social distance from one. He made, fabulous, lemon cake, chocolate pudding and we're all ready to go and show these tissues. Unfortunately, can't Austin through the web, but at least they haven't. Come back, just go.

Case keeping busy and having fun and it's all great things.

Cute. I love that that he still carrying on is Justin. There's no stopping him.

Well that's so amazing. I literally cannot wait to cannot wait to meet you in person because we're going to definitely do silence there and Vibe. Yeah, I will. I promise I won't bring anything to compromise just to reiterate that everybody didn't. So they can buy your book on your restaurant so it's vasco's vasco's food.com.

20 pounds for the book goes towards supporting the restaurant because obviously they are closed at the moment. They're not getting any cash flow and so this is really, really helping them to stay open and return because we want them to return so much and you will be yes. And then so you can buy vouchers so that when they are open, then we can visit and the vouchers are really generously discounted as well. So you can get a hundred pounds worth for 75 pounds which is great. Thank

You so much for. I really, really, I really have enjoyed speaking to stay my Friday, ready for the weekend and I hope you have a lovely weekend. Thank you.