Banyan Bar comes to York – with a little help from OnFire

Recently voted “Harrogate’s Best Bar”, a new Banyan venue is set to open in York this July. Of course a brilliant bar deserves equally brilliant design, and that’s where we come in.

The team at OnFireenjoy the occasional cocktail, so imagine our excitement when we were asked to bid for the brand and graphic design for Banyan’s latest bar and kitchen in the heart of York. The unusual name comes from the sacred Indian Banyan tree, traditionally a place where people come together to talk and a word rich with cultural and religious associations. Using this as our inspiration we came up with a range of winning ideas based on the themes of nature and spirituality. The result combines crisp, elegant design with a tone of voice that feels instantly welcoming and is pitched at the perfect level for Banyan’s target market. We’re delighted to say that Arc Inspirations, Banyan’s parent company, were suitably impressed and awarded us the work over a number of rival bidders. Our mission now is to create their complete offline brand, from signage and press ads to menus and napkins, all with a distinctive look and feel that will set York’s Banyan Bar and Kitchen apart. If that doesn’t call for a celebratory drink we don’t know what does. Cheers!

Managing director at Arc Inspirations, Banyan’s parent company, said:“We’re incredibly excited to be opening a new bar and kitchen in York to complement our hugely successful venue in Harrogate. The superb work presented by OnFire made our choice of design partner easy. I can’t wait to see more.”

Karl Lakin, Creative Director at OnFire said: “It’s always a challenge to help a brand stand out in a crowded market, but it’s one we relish. With Banyan the key was their name and everything it stands for. We’re really pleased to be working with such a great brand to create something truly special.”