Coventry venue to create 100 jobs after £1m refurbishment
Coventry venue the Rialto Plaza will reopen today (May 17) following a £1m refurbishment, creating over 100 new jobs.
The new Rialto Plaza will offer a leading live music and events programme plus a community space to work, dine and socialise.
During lockdown venue bosses have taken the opportunity to kick-start plans to bring a “one of a kind” community lifestyle venue to Coventry. The Rialto Plaza will remain the home of live music, events and entertainment but has been totally transformed as a space for Coventry’s community to socialise, meet, work, eat and drink across the venue’s three distinctive areas – The Hall, Rialto Works and The Loft. The Rialto will also relaunch the Cozy Cinema Club in a nod to the former cinema which was adjacent to the building but destroyed during WW2.
Originally built in 1939 as a stunning ballroom, The Hall is a 1,000-capacity live music and events space and will play host to popular music, comedy and theatrical tours. The venue will also become the home of the legendary Bongo’s Bingo in Coventry.
The Loft on the first floor will be a 30-cover restaurant that will be open to the public from June 1, seven days a week. Full opening plans will be revealed soon, say owners.
Rialto Works offers flexible working spaces for new businesses. There will be five swork units available, all with super-fast broadband, fully serviced and furnished with new modern fixtures with units for 1, 2 and 4 desks.
James Penny, Head of Programming at The Rialto Plaza said: “We have invested a significant amount of money to develop a brand new community concept that will bring people of Coventry together day and night. The pandemic took our revenue from six figures to zero overnight and it’s been tough with very little financial support from the government. But we believe Coventry can come together stronger than ever before so we’ve invested all we have to create a vibrant hub for the community.
“Our aim is to become the beating heart of Coventry, a vibrant, neighbourhood venue that brings together people from all walks of life, morning, day and night. Now is the time to drive resurgence in the live events industry and we hope to be at the forefront.”
