Diageo has announced plans to invest £73 million in a new microbrewery and culture hub in London, which will create up to 150 jobs.
The ‘Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard’ is set to open in Autumn 2023 in Covent Garden in the Capital.
Diageo said the new investment, which builds on the success of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin and the opening of Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh in 2021, demonstrates its commitment to the hospitality sector, which employs almost 2 million people in the UK.
“We’re excited to create a new home for Guinness in the heart of London. ‘Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard’ will strengthen London’s hospitality community and be a must-visit destination for thousands of visitors to enjoy,” Dayalan Nayager, Managing Director, Diageo Great Britain, said.
Notintg that the government support over the last two years has been vital for pubs and bars, Nayager added that the alcohol duty review and continued freezes in duty will ‘significantly help the long-term vitality of the trade’ as it comes out of the pandemic.
The new 50,000 sq ft venue will provide a community space within the Covent Garden area and become the Southern UK hub of Diageo’s Learning for Life Bartending and Hospitality Programme.
The site will include a world-leading microbrewery which will produce limited edition beers and offer guests tours with Guinness beer specialists; event spaces and central covered courtyard hosting events, which will be open for use by the local community and Guinness store selling rare items via collaborations and partnerships bespoke to the London experience.
In addition, there will be a rotating cuisine and events at a stunning open-fire kitchen, restaurant and 360 degrees glass rooftop space within the development.
The site will be carbon neutral by 2030 and accessible to all when it opens. Key to the new site will be a community programme, details of which will be designed following a consultation period with local residents.
Diageo and Guinness are investing £30m in helping pubs, bars and restaurants in Britain recover from the pandemic through its “Raising the Bar” scheme, launched in 2020. Over 30,000 outlets across the country have benefitted from the scheme to date, through support such as hand sanitiser, PPE kits and parasols and ‘snugs’ for outside occasions.
Brian McLister
