- €16m expansion plan
- Capacity to grow from 250 to 550
- Gravity Bar will remain open during development
Aine Kavanagh, Colette Coughlan, Joe Higgins and Paul Carty at the launch of the €16m Guinness Storehouse Gravity Bar expansion plan, July 13 2017
The Gravity bar at Guinness Storehouse is to be doubled in capacity from 250 at present to 550 under a €16m expansion plan to develop a new 360 degree space, linked to the original Gravity Bar
The Gravity Bar will remain open throughout the development which, subject to planning permission, will commence in 2018 and will open in 2019.
In addition to the expanded Gravity Bar, the Guinness Storehouse Hub, a new facilities building, directly adjacent to the Guinness Storehouse building is also included in the plans. This three storey building will provide additional space for the Guinness Archives one of the world’s most remarkable archives, chronicling the history of Guinness over a long 257 years, along with retail storage and employee hub.
The Storehouse is Ireland’s leading attraction with 1,647,408 visitors in 2016 and a 9pc increase in visitors so far in 2017, overall 16.5m have visited the Guinness Storehouse since it opened in 2000.
The Guinness Storehouse was created with of a €42m million redevelopment in 1997. Recent years have seen the Guinness Storehouse open a new food experience, Guinness and Food, and the Guinness advertising exhibit.
The Gravity Bar is the finale of a visit to the Guinness Storehouse which tells the story of one of Ireland’s most famous brands, showing visitors what goes into making each pint, the incredible brand history, its iconic advertising, as well as a tasting. Illustration shows visitor numbers at Guinness Storehouse since 2000.
Storehouse MD Paul Carty said that since first opening its doors to the public in 2000, the Guinness Storehouse has made a significant contribution to Ireland’s tourism sector and economy. This is an enormously exciting step in future-proofing the Guinness Storehouse. We are very proud of its success and our expansion plans are devised to enhance the experience that we offer to our visitors who come from all over the world to learn more about the iconic Guinness stout, savour amazing food in our restaurants and experience the best views of the city and surrounds from Gravity Bar. The €16m investment in the Guinness Storehouse further demonstrates Diageo’s commitment to the Liberties area of Dublin and the St. James’s Gate site. It follows the announcement earlier this year of the launch of new premium blended Irish whiskey, Roe & Co. in the former Power Station at St. James’s Gate. The total project investment for Roe & Co is planned at €25m over three years.
- Watch here interview with Joe Higgins, Deputy MD of Guinness Storehouse about the project
- Watch here speech by Paul Carty, MD of Guinness Storehouse at the launch of the project
- Watch here Guinness Storehouse redevelopment promotional video
