our story
Welcome to 1910 The Old Forge Bar and Restaurant a fabulous little English Colonial spot in the quaint part of the world …. a little Country Village called Darling, on the West Coast, of the Western Cape in South Africa.
Once a very far and distant dream... and now a reality!
A loving and devoted husband, made his wife's dream come true. With unbelievable hard work, determination and many, many, many hours of planning, scheming, designing, sourcing and collecting beautiful things, and of course saving hard over the years it has finally happened!
Nina and Derek waited for the absolute right gem to come along, after two years of searching and then finally found the place they loved and with both their visions they could call their new venture, and turn this dream into their reality. This venue, an old barn of over 100 years old, needed a very clear vision, and a lot of work. Derek, has built the inside of the old barn on his own, with his hands, and persevered many months of long hours to get venture to the stage that it is at the moment.
1910 The Old Forge is now owned by this dynamic husband and wife team Nina and Derek Poole. Derek was the driving force behind it all, the pusher to get things done. Nina also involved in part of the décor, ideas, but the creativity did come from Derek. Nina has and will be focusing on all the Marking, PR and the complete running of the Forge. She is even the chef in the kitchen and has a very hands on approach in the daily running. Derek is the absolute expert in turning it all around and also has experience on all unique and vintage items. They as a team love making things beautiful and certainly know their way around the antique shops and auction houses.
1910 The Old Forge is another project for these owners, which have recently opened to the public. It promises to be the most cozy of all Restaurants in Darling. Spend tranquil moments sitting in front of the large fire place, listening to laid back vibes, sipping on a glass of red and watching passers by, lazing out in the sun on the grassed area and you will feel like you have gone to a small side country pub in the UK somewhere.
Their aim is to cater not only to the locals but all who wish to visit somewhere different, have a good relaxing experience with good food and company from the village. Their Team of Staff are all great and very friendly. For the time being, there is only a limited menu, but this changes weekly.
Nina has over 30 years experience in the PR, Event, Wedding and Hospitality sector, running her own agency in Cape Town, and is now planning the 2nd phase of her dream - which is to build a wedding venue at the back of the Forge. This is going to be beautiful, and an added value to Darling, and knowing them, this will not take long at all.
Their desire is to offer something unique for everyone. Their pleasure may become your favorite experience on your next trip to Darling. It is so worth the trip. You will not be disappointed. For those who visit Darling on a more frequent basis, Nina hopes to have something new on the menu each time you visit. They also own a beautiful guest house in Darling, just a short walk from The Forge. So if you are planning a weekend, or a night stay, you may want to check into this little piece of paradise. Masion de L'amour is just what you would need to set the tone for a lovely night away, with your loved one, or a group of friends.
If what we have experienced to date is anything to go about, then this stunning venue is going to go BIG on the West Coast map. Simply check out the offerings on the website, and then come and visit for yourself...
