Jobs created as trio of businesses join intu Merry Hill’s Waterfront

intu Merry Hill will be welcoming three independent businesses to The Waterfront as part of the centre’s £100m investment to become a leisure destination.

The new venues will create 29 new jobs and are the latest openings adding to the drinking and dining offering at The Waterfront following on from the launch of The Garrison Peaky Blinders themed bar last year.

The three venues, Dr Eamer’s Gin Emporium, 10 Steps Coffee, and live entertainment bar ‘Red by Night’, will be offering home grown entertainment and refreshments to shoppers and staff.

Dr Eamers’ Distillery Bar is a first-of-its-kind bar for the family run Black Country business, which handcrafts small batches of award-winning gin in Dudley. The bar also offers classes, demonstrations, tastings and a selection of nibbles and bar food.

Dr Eamers’ Distillery Bar opened this week and has created 10 jobs.

Red by Night is a new live entertainment venue, which will be opening at the Waterfront this autumn.

Red by Night is passionate about fostering local and upcoming talent around the live entertainment scene.

The venue will showcase a range of events and entertainment, including all genres of music, comedy and the arts, with open mic nights for upcoming talent and full sound and light systems for larger established bands.

Approximately £250,000 has been invested into the refurbishment and the bar will generate an estimated 15 jobs.

Ten Steps Coffee Lounge is a new family-run business, and will serve freshly brewed premium types of coffee, hot beverages, vegan treats and baked goods and will be opening the doors at its new venue in mid to late September, creating four jobs.

Nick Round, regional managing director at intu Merry Hill said: “The progress at the Waterfront builds on a year of growth for intu Merry Hill, which is continuing to diversify and strengthen its offering. This announcement marks the latest phase of a plan to make our centre more sustainable, more accessible and more attractive for our customers and retailers. The centre has already introduced free WiFi, redeveloped car parks and bus stations and made facilities more accessible to those with disabilities.

“We have a roster of more new stores due to open which will generate more income in the local community. We also boost a growing number of local businesses, as well as our street food market which provides a platform for small local food businesses.”

The announcement of a brand new Mango store due to launch this winter further builds on a year of growth for intu Merry Hill, which has welcomed 20 new and improved stores within the last 12 months. This list also includes luxury retailer Flannels and crowd favourites Next and Primark last year.