New company aims to create ‘greatest venue Leamington is ever likely to see’
Pic of outside of Old KoKo's. MHLC-20-09-12 Altoria SEP79
LEAMINGTON in the early evening: pavements buzz with workers celebrating after a day in the office while at home, trendy young things put the finishing touches to their outfit before heading out for the superstar experience.
This is the vision of a new firm that hopes to turn a former bar and nightclub into the next generation of venue.
With a ‘holding name’ of Altoria, the former KoKo’s premises in Warwick Street will be turned into a bar, restaurant and club.
Over four floors, it will have a ‘boutique’ VIP lounge with table service, a semi-glazed roof terrace called the Observatory, a club room, Uber, in which DJs use the latest technology to mix the soundtrack to the evening.
Newly set up Warneford Bars is investing £1.5 million in the venue, which they say will open in early November and create 55 to 60 jobs.
Operations director Zolly Branch, who has worked for Tiger Tiger brand owners Novus Scotia, Birmingham nightclub chain Oceana, and has spent the past three years based in Covent Garden, explained the concept.
He said: “I walked round and nobody seemed to be having that celebratory drink from 5pm to 11pm.”
Warneford is hoping to attract people in the over 21 and over 25 age brackets; young professionals with money to spend who are currently going to Coventry or Birmingham.
The company has brought in former Ministry of Sound operations director Tony Rigg as a consultant. He said: “I want to create the greatest venue Leamington has seen or is ever likely to see.
“It’s going to move forward social drinking and the social consumption of music. It’s the next generation of venue.”
Mr Branch believes the high street has stagnated, with customers unwilling to spend and little investment, but he believes Altoria can be a success in Leamington, and the company hopes to buy another three venues over the next two years.
If all goes to plan, the days of sipping a lukewarm latte with your workmates may be numbered.
He added: “We’re moving away from homogeneity. Today’s consumer wants a VIP experience and this product has been set up to deliver that. We want our customers to feel like superstars.”
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Weather for Leamington
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 15 C
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Wind direction: North west
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