ONE of the Hunter's tourism personalities has his sights set on a new venture.
Alloggio chief executive Will Creedon plans to open a raw and rugged cafe-bar, conveniently located right behind his own office at 840 Hunter Street.
Few know a good watering hole quite like the Irish, and Mr Creedon said his won't disappoint, given the scale of development planned for Newcastle's West-End.
"What we are doing is creating a food and beverage space that occupies the ground floor of that building, when you think about what's happening in that area of Newcastle over the next 300 to 400 weeks it makes sense," he said.
"It will be a hive of activity from office works, residential and construction - we want to bolster the level of amenity that's on offer in the new corporate district of Newcastle."
The development application is sitting with Newcastle council, if it's approved he said the bar could be slinging drinks in six to eight months.
The establishment will feature a shipping container bar and kitchen, and can host up to 190 patrons. The bar will be at the rear, with access via Beresford Lane.
While the design concept isn't fully fleshed out, Mr Creedon said his years of in business curating traveller experiences will play a massive part.
"What it will do is offer a rawness and ruggedness that builds on the foundations of Newcastle, its culture and ability to transition and use its natural landscape," he said.
"I've been around food and beverage all my life ... I've gotten a few things right, some wrong, but hopefully a few right."
The bar could be one of the first in a series of developments aimed at shifting the "heart and soul" of the city to the West-End.
Mr Creedon argues its location will positively contribute to the Transport Interchange and Store redevelopment, and could even kick-off a chain reaction with new cafes and bars in the area.
"We're hopeful we can tap into the morning and evening economies in Newcastle, bringing a variety of different flavours to suit the economy," he said.
Plus, "the bar will have an easy commute to me".
The development application is being considered.
