The site, previously operated as The Ape & Bird by the late Russell Norman and most recently as BrewDog Seven Dials, will become the latest addition to the independent pub group’s estate.
Ardent Pub Group was established in 2021 and currently operates three London pubs: The Cadogan Arms in Chelsea, The George in Fitzrovia and The Hound in Chiswick.
The new site forms part of the group’s ‘growth programme’ following founder and managing director Dominic Jacobs’ full buyout of Ardent Pub Group in December 2025 and the securing of new US-based private investment.
Ardent Pub Group says it recorded more than 25% year-on-year sales growth and a 40% year-on-year increase in EBITDA and is targeting further openings in London and elsewhere over the next three to five years.
The Magpie also has a personal connection for Jacobs. His grandfather, Sidney, worked for three decades at Soho Fire Station and used the pub, then known as The Marquis of Granby, as his local. Jacobs also cites his great uncle, Owen ‘Oska’ Wood, as having been part of Soho’s artist community, with connections to venues including The Coach and Horses, The French House and the Colony Room Club.
“Having grown up regularly visiting the area with my parents because of these family ties, Soho has always felt very personal to me,” he says.
“To now have the opportunity to become part of its story ourselves is incredibly special, and we want The Magpie to reflect the spirit of the area and respect the history of the pub building itself, first established in 1791 and reconstructed in 1886.”
Interiors for The Magpie will be designed by NorthEnd’s Sam Hosker. Ardent says the scheme will draw on the history and character of the building and its Soho setting, including influences from the original pub built in the late 19th century and earlier taverns on West Street.
Emma Matus, head of restaurant leasing at Shaftesbury Capital, adds: “I’m excited about The Magpie because there’s such a personal story behind it.
“Dom’s family connection to the pub and the wider Soho neighbourhood gives a real sense of authenticity, while his ambition to create the kind of London pub that brings everyone together feels particularly right for this location, where Covent Garden, Soho and theatreland meet.
“Ardent have a fantastic track record of creating much-loved pubs, and bringing ambitious independent operators like them to Covent Garden is an important part of how we continue to evolve the neighbourhood while retaining the character that makes it so special.”
The group has previously been named Food-Led Pub Group of the Year at the R200 Awards in November 2024 and was also included in The Sunday Times’ Best Places to Work list earlier this year.