Londoners’ love of Guinness is growing — one in every 10 pints sold in the capital is reportedly now a Guinness, and UK sales of the stout have increased by 30 per cent in the past six months — and now a 50,000sq ft building dedicated to the black stuff is coming to Covent Garden.
The £73m venture, called Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard, will bring together a microbrewery, an open-fire restaurant, a 360-degrees glass-walled roof terrace and event spaces, all beneath one roof.
Limited edition beers will be produced on-site, with Guinness specialists running tours for members of the public, who will also be able to sample newly developed brews. A Guinness-themed merch store will run as part of the venue, too.
The venue will make use of an area first used to brew beer back in 1772 — covering Mercer Walk, Langley Street, Neal Street and Shelton Street — and takes inspiration from the hugely popular Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, which, before the pandemic, welcomed more than 1.7m annual visitors.
A community-focused programme will be formulated during a consultation period with local residents, and the building will be made carbon-neutral by 2030. The venue will create 150 new jobs, and train 100 new bartenders annually.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “This multi-million-pound investment is a crucial vote of confidence in our capital.
“300 years after brewing the first beer in Old Brewers Yard, it’s fantastic to see Guinness breathing life into our hospitality and tourism industries and creating more jobs and training opportunities in central London.”
Dayalan Nayager, the managing director for Diageo Great Britain, who own Guinness, added: “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."
Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard is due to open its doors in the autumn of 2023, subject to planning permission and a consultation period.
