Ghostly sightings will not stop opening of 13th Alchemist bar
The location for the latest Alchemist outpost will be based on the site of a former Hard Rock Café on King Street. The two-floor site will cover 6,600sq feet and create 80 full and part-time jobs.
The site was last occupied by Brazilian restaurant Tropeiro, before it closed in April 2016.
Contractors working on the 13th century site have reported ghostly sightings of a girl now fondly referred to as Annabel during the fit out. Stories including contractors supposedly seeing ghostly apparitions, while other accounts revolved around heavy industrial doors opening and closing of their own accord.
Alchemist managing director Simon Potts said: “We’ve had our sights set on Nottingham for a while, and we’re pleased it’s finally come to fruition. The site is intriguing – particularly with the eerie stories we’ve been hearing from the team.
“A number of unexplained goings-on have certainly kept us entertained over the past few months. Nottingham is a fantastic city, and we have secured an amazing location – overall, the venue feels a perfect fit for us.
“It’s a real joy to be able to announce positive plans for our continued growth at a time when there seems to be a lot of uncertainty in the sector. Our guests continue to enjoy our unique offering and I’m confident that the Alchemist brand will be a positive addition to Nottingham.”
The Alchemist has become renowned for its theatrical drinks service, including classic Thai, Indian, Cajun, Japanese and American concoctions.
The group, which currently employs 700 people across the UK, recently secured a £16m finance package from Santander in order to invest in continued brand innovation, rejuvenating existing sites and the acquisition of new locations.
Established in 2010, and backed by Palatine Private Equity since a buy out from Living Ventures in 2015, the Alchemist’s venues across the country include sites in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Chester and Oxford.
