PROPERTY ROUND-UP
The Piano Works moves to Nightcap venue
The Piano Works comes to Covent Garden
London’s non-stop audience requested live music venue the Piano Works West End is moving to Covent Garden this month.
It will re-open at Nightcap venue the Gillian Lynne Theatre on the corner of Drury Lane on Thursday 16 November.
All Piano Works West End employees will join the new site, which boasts a capacity of 600 and an island stage in the middle of the venue.
Earlier this year, Piano Works applied to Westminster Council to increase its licensed capacity at its Leicester Square venue from 400 to 700 people, but this plan was rejected.
This made operating within Westminster untenable due to external cost pressures, leading to the venue searching for a new premises where the larger capacity was possible.
Nightcap chief executive Sarah Willingham said: “I’m so looking forward to working with Alan and his talented team at The Piano Works, to bring another fantastic concept into a Nightcap venue.
“Our customers will love it and our teams will work together to make sure that they have the best night out over this busy Christmas period and into the new year.”
Loungers opens four sites, roll-out plans on track
Loungers boss Nick Collins has expressed his joy at opening four sites since mid-September and confirmed the company’s fast-track roll-out plans are on track.
Loungers, which operates all-day café-bar-restaurants under the Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside brands, recently stated it was set to open 34 sites in its current financial year and the latest additions bring the total number of sites in the Loungers portfolio to 242.
Three of the new sites are in the Lounge estate. They are Alfredo Lounge (part of the former Eve & Ranshaw department store) in Louth, Lincolnshire; Bordo Lounge (formerly a Top Shop) in Carlisle, Cumbria; and Muro Lounge (formerly an Argos) in Hexham, Northumberland.
Loungers said all three locations evidence Loungers’ track record of and ability to breathe new life into the UK’s high streets, bringing footfall and jobs and, in particular, rejuvenating former retail sites.
Meanwhile, the fourth addition is a Cosy Club in Oxford, marking the first in-road into the city and is the group’s 36th Cosy Club.
Read more here
Hydes opens £3.6m premium dining pub
North west brewery and pub retailer Hydes has launched its first new establishment in five years, following the opening of its latest premium pub dining venue on the Wirral, Merseyside.
The Salford-based operator acquired the landmark building on Telegraph Road in 2022 for £1.3m
The acquisition of the Harry Beswick was Hydes’ first property acquisition since 2018.
Unused for over a decade, Hydes spent six months rolling out a refurbishment of more than £24m into transforming the town’s former police station into a pub dining venue.
The brewer has named the pub the Harry Beswick as a nod to the original architect of the building.
Hydes Brewery managing director Adam Mayers said: “The building and restoration is simply stunning and we’ve created a destination venue in keeping with the area.
Read more here
New bar to open in iconic Scotland venue
A new bar is set to open in restaurant and events space Platform in Glasgow, Scotland.
The site in Glasgow Central station has announced the opening of Platform 1, a new split-level lounge bar and restaurant located in the heart of the city centre.
Platform has undergone an enhanced transformation of its Argyle St entrance and offices to create a new comfortable and stylish cafe bar that will operate Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm until late.
Retaining its industrial aesthetic, this stunning refurbishment features a contemporary mezzanine and a striking brass and gold gantry bar with forest green tiles that artfully anchors the space as you enter Platform.
- If you have any information regarding new openings, refurbishments or property details you think could be used in this weekly round-up section, along with hi-res landscape images, please email nzryvr.znhevpr-wbarf@jeoz.pbz and rebecca.weller@wrbm.com.
