BBC One’s The Apprentice is back tonight with its 2023 season, welcoming a new cast of ambitious candidates into Lord Alan Sugar’s boardroom.
With Karren Brady back as an aide, Claude Littner in a reduced role and Tim Campbell stepping in to replace him, the business hotshots are in for a tough challenge as they embark on the first tasks of the season.
Of course, fans will know that the least successful team can expect a trip to the losers’ cafe, which was previously The Bridge cafe but became La Cabana Café from 2018 onwards.
So, where exactly is it? Here’s all you need to know about the losers’ eatery.
Where is The Apprentice’s La Cabana Café?
You can find the café at: 36 Cumberland Business Park, Cumberland Avenue, Acton, Park Royal, NW10 7RT.
Candidates use this café as it’s close to the TV studio where the boardroom scenes are filmed.
Yes, despite the shots of the London skyline suggesting candidates are grilled somewhere in Canary Wharf, firings actually take place near an industrial estate on the other side of London.
Why? Owing to the sheer amount of people sometimes in the boardroom, a lot of cameras are needed to capture all the action. And that calls for a proper TV studio.
As the BBC says on The Apprentice website: “In order to set up and manoeuvre those cameras properly without interrupting proceedings, the series director needs to work from a gallery. Therefore it is not possible to film the boardroom scenes from Lord Sugar’s real boardroom.”
Is La Cabana a real café?
Yes, you can actually pop in for a cuppa. No grilling by Lord Sugar necessary.
What happened to The Bridge café?
The Apprentice hasn’t confirmed whether The Bridge will ever host the post-task arguments again, so it’s still possible the café will return in future episodes.
After all, the candidates haven’t visited The Bridge in every episode of the show – in fact, losing contestants visited La Cabana during some episodes in an earlier season too.
The Apprentice will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursday 5th January 2023. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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