A major Bavarian-themed bar is to open at the heart of Cardiff city centre, following a 25-year lease agreement on a large section of the flagship Stadium Plaza.
Set to open in August 2015, the Bierkeller will offer live Oompah music, long bench seating, traditional German food and drink and beers served in steins by staff in classic Bavarian dress.
Cardiff will be the fourth Bierkeller location to open in the UK, following the popularity of this distinctive drinking and dining attraction in Liverpool One, Manchester Printworks and Leeds, where it has become a magnet for office or birthday parties and other celebrations.
The Bierkeller, which will employ 120 staff, will occupy the 24,000 sq ft ground floor area of Stadium Plaza, incorporating a multi-branded complex of bars and food operations including Shooters Sports Bar, Around the World in 80 Beers and the Bierkeller brand.
An investment of more than £3 million on a fit-out between now and the opening date will bring the completely new offering to the city centre, offering the ultimate party destination for all types of social occasion, along with excellent value food and outside seating.
It will be a key addition to the high-profile leisure and entertainment venue, joining the 14-screen Vue multiplex cinema, Pure Gym and soon-to-be-launched Cardiff Superbowl located within the prestigious 160,000 sq ft complex adjoining the iconic Millennium Stadium.
Owners of Stadium Plaza, real estate company Mansford, agreed the lease for the Bierkeller with growing UK leisure and hospitality business Burning Night Group. The venue will sit at the heart of the city’s rapidly emerging commercial and entertainment core that will also include the BBC’s new showpiece headquarters for Wales.
Burning Night Group is led by prominent entrepreneurs Alex Hazzard and Allan Harper. Allan said: “We’re very pleased that the opportunity came up to move into a thriving city like Cardiff, following success in other key UK cities. The Bierkeller will be a completely new offering for the city centre and the ultimate party destination for all types of social occasion.
“The Bierkeller’s vibrant and unique offering, as well as its location as a neighbour to a world-class rugby stadium, enable us to be very confident about its success and we look forward to unveiling the finished product to the public this summer.”
Phillip Morris, of EJ Hales, said: “The opening of the Bierkeller is a further boost for an already-thriving entertainment quarter. With the upcoming arrival of the flagship new BBC HQ and the transformation of the adjacent bus station area, this is fast-becoming the epicentre of activity in Cardiff.”
Stadium Plaza forms part of Mansford’s growing portfolio of properties in Wales. Other Welsh investments include the Duke Street, High Street and Castle Arcades in Cardiff city centre, the Quayside in Cardiff Bay, Salubrious Place and the J-Shed in Swansea, and part of John Frost Square in Newport. The firm also owns The Manchester Arena, the Skydome and Skydome Arena in Coventry and several high- profile office, retail and residential properties in London.