Restaurant plan unveiled for former Law Society offices

Part of the former home of the Birmingham Law Society is to be converted into a new restaurant.

Planning consent has been granted to convert 8 Temple Street into a new Revolución de Cuba restaurant.

The 12,027 sq ft premises was previously an office building and the society’s law library. The upper floors of the building have been empty for some time.

The scheme is the latest in a growing list of restaurant businesses choosing to set up in Temple Street.

The BLS had approached Blue Marble Asset Management for ideas on how to utilise the redundant asset.

The largest regional law society in the UK, with more than 5,000 members, BLS wanted to generate an income from the building, but lacked the funds and expertise to maximise the value of their asset.

Edward Jones, Investment Director at Birmingham-based Blue Marble advised the BLS property sub-committee on the deal.

The new tenant will fund, and carry out, a comprehensive refurbishment of the building, which includes stripping the building back to its shell, and undertaking a substantial fit out.

The 25-year letting deal will more than double the value of the building’s freehold from under £1m to in excess of £2.7m and will deliver an annual rent of £150,000.

Mr Jones said 8 Temple Street represented one of the best leisure pitches in Birmingham, with its location on a main route from the business district to New Street Station.

“Following a beauty parade with a number of potential operators from national pub chains to Michelin starred restaurants, we agreed the deal with Revolution Bars Group,” he said.

“We have transformed a problem and a liability into a self-sufficient asset, so rather than a potential drain on their resources in maintenance costs, BLS will have a fully restored building in a prime pitch, generating a significant annual income for the benefit of its members.”

Chris Owen, former BLS Chairman, and former chief executive of St Philips Chambers in Birmingham, who chaired the BLS property sub-committee said the society was delighted by the outcome

“We will shortly have a fully refurbished building giving the society a strong income stream for many years to come,” he said.