Housed in a former Guinness fermentation plant, the Guinness Storehouse is the top visitor attraction in Ireland and has welcomed 16.5 million people since opening in 2000. The Gravity Bar boasts 360 degree views over the city and offers visitors a complimentary pint of Guinness.
The expansion will create a new 360 degree space, linked to the original Gravity Bar, and the space will be able to hold up to 500 people at a time (doubling current capacity).
Subject to planning permission, construction will start in 2018 and will open to visitors by 2019. The attraction will remain open as normal in the meantime.
A ‘Guinness Storehouse Hub’ is also included in the plans: a three-story building that will provide additional space for the archives of Guinness’ 257-year history. A retail storage and employee hub is also included.
Diageo says the investment demonstrates its commitment to Dublin and the St. James’s Gate site, as well as contributing 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,” said Paul Carty, managing director, Guinness Storehouse.
Last week Diageo also highlighted the success of its visitor attractions in Scotland, having seen a 7% rise in the number of tourists visiting its 12 distillery visitor centres in Scotland to learn more about Scotch whisky.