Regeneration of Olympia to bring new hospitality venue
A £1.3 billion regeneration of the Olympia exhibition centre over five years will transform the venue. It will see more than two dozen food and drink venues, two hotels, office spaces, a gym, and a 3,800-capacity music venue and theatre.
The first of several hospitality venues for the regeneration are set to open this month at the Olympia exhibition centre.
Pillar Hall comprises three different venues and will see the first guests arriving from 30th March. Set inside a Grade-II listed hall that used to house one of the nation’s first cinemas, as well as the site of Vivienne Westwood’s debut catwalk show in 1981, it will be built on a ground with a lot of history and legacy in the arts.
The upcoming venue promises a 300-cover restaurant, an events space with a capacity of over 500, and an intimate bar. Restaurateur Des Gunewardena, who was responsible for Korean & Japanese restaurant Jang as well as cocktail bar Engel in the Royal Exchange, will lead all three spaces.
Keep an eye out for Restaurant Idalia which opens on 30th March with a modern British menu, including lamp cutlet, wood-roasted turbot, and a Lake District porterhouse stake to share. The drinks menu meanwhile will focus on English wines. The décor will combine greenery with a warm colour palette and marble pillars, all inspired by Kensington Gardens nearby.
On 2nd April, Pepperbird will open, a speakeasy-style bar with low lighting and deep banquette seating. It will be guest-list only, being open on evenings between Thursday and Saturday.
The final part of the trio forming the regeneration is Upstairs at Pillar Hall, an event venue for live music and other performances. Look out for it in June.
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