The sky's the limit for Nottingham's newest bar with Instagrammable decor, rooftop partying... and a ball pit in the ladies. Skybar has replaced Alto at leisure complex The Cornerhouse, which closed under a cloud.
The roof-top venue had been partly owned by boxing legend Carl Froch but he stepped away as Alto's reputation went downhill and eventually sold his shares. It has now changed hands and the new owners are the team behind Nottingham's Groovebox Festival.
After the bar - on the second floor of the complex - closed down it underwent a refurbishment to wipe the slate clean and erase all memory of Alto. The decor has gone from white to turquoise with quartz-effect panelling and a stunning new dance floor. The ladies toilets, branded grimy and disgusting, have been replaced by shiny new ones... with the added attraction of a ball pit and chaise lounge for all those Instagram shots.
Read more: Nottingham bar announces major changes as it is set to close for a refurb
One of the bars, at the front of the property, has been sectioned off by a faux living wall to create a private hire space, so entry is now via a tunnel, decorated by Venetian plaster.
Earlier this year Alto had witnessed a a large "explosion of violence" when a fight broke out. Skybar's launch at the weekend saw a crackdown on admission in a bid to steer clear of trouble.
"We had about 550 people in here and there was no trouble at all. I was worried because of Alto's crowd but it was really nice. I couldn't fault it at all," said operations manager Cassie McHugh.
The bar will have eight doormen and there's a scanner to check ID. Bags will be searched and man bags are not allowed. Chewing gum has also been banned.
"I think the way to control it is to let them know on the door that it's different so they're being searched and having their ID scanned. It's a deterrent anyway against people misbehaving as we'll have a record of everyone who's been in. I think people knew they could do what they wanted before."
The bar will be open once again this Friday and Saturday, when in-house promoters are staging RnB and house music event Breathe. Making Saturday nights 21+ is under consideration. Once students return the bar will be open seven days a week.
Premium drinks brands are behind the bar - and already bottles of Grey Goose vodka and, surprisingly, brandy have been flying off the shelves, while gin seems less in favour. Classics such as Pornstar Martini and Espresso Martini are amongst the 14 cocktails, which include Skybar's bespoke drinks - one's like the sky and a cloud made with blue coloured vodka and candy floss. Eventually food will be served when the new chef comes on board in a few weeks time.
There's still more work to be carried out at the bar, including a retractable conservatory roof for the outside terrace. Ten Alto staff have kept their jobs and a further 15, including newcomers to hospitality, have been taken on.
Cassie added: "It's stylish and on-trend. I don't want people to think it's going to be like Alto. I want them to know it's different, it's under new management and what we want is a completely different concept to what Alto wanted.
"We're going to be really hands-on so it will definitely be different. If we see if going down that route changes will be made straight away. For now it's trial and error. We'll give everyone a chance. If we have to make changes further down we will. I want people to come and have a nice, comfortable time."
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