The vacant ground floor of Manchester’s Albert Hall has been converted into a Bavarian-themed restaurant and bar with the help of a £2m loan.
Mission Mars, the recently created company that now owns Trof, the Deaf Institute, Gorilla and the Albert Hall, received a £2m growth capital loan from Santander Corporate Commercial to transform the site into a “modern-day Bohemian pleasure palace” called Albert’s Schloss (pictured). The theme was chosen as a nod to Prince Albert who was born in the famous Schloss Rosenau castle in Bavaria.
The newly opened venue features a large bar, long sharing tables and open log fires and specialises in rustic food and drink with a Bavarian theme.
Mission Mars was established by chief operating officer Joel Wilkinson and founding director Adelaide Winter, chief executive Roy Ellis and non-executive director Neil MacLeod. Ellis and MacLeod are the founders of Inventive Leisure, the owner and operator of the Revolution vodka bars and Revolucion de Cuba rum bars.
Plans to create the £3.5m Albert’s Schloss on the ground floor of the 3,000-capacity Albert Hall on Peter Street were first unveiled in September 2015.
Ellis said: “The redevelopment will bring back to life the empty Albert Hall music venue and develop the ground floor into a fantastic restaurant and bar, firmly putting it on the map of top Manchester venues.
“We believe the Schloss theme is truly unique and are confident that this will draw crowds of all ages to this architecturally impressive and grand building.
“The growth capital funding from Santander’s Breakthrough programme, coupled with the additional funding from shareholders, means we can realise our ambitions and create a truly unique experience for customers.
“Our ambition at Mission Mars is to own and operate outstanding bars, restaurants and live event venues across the UK.”
Steve Harrison, of Santander, said: “Mission Mars is one of the North West’s most exciting leisure businesses and we are delighted to be supporting with funding from Santander’s Breakthrough growth capital fund. Our funding, plus the investment from the shareholders, will transform what is already an outstanding venue at The Albert Hall in Manchester’s city centre.”
Advisors to the transaction included Dow Schofield Watts (financial due diligence), Bond Dickinson (bank legals), Tennant Land Partners (advice to shareholders) and Eversheds (legal advice to Mission Mars).