1884 Marina Bar to open with Bank Holiday bonanza

Dan Poole (black shirt), Director of 1884 Marina Bar with Restaurant Manager Anya Rawling and Bar Manager Dale Opperman.

A FANTASTIC new edition to Hull’s dining scene and nightlife will launch a Bank Holiday weekend bonanza when it opens its doors for the first time on Friday.

1884 Marina Bar promises a classy combination of great food, an unrivalled drinks selection and a top-quality entertainment programme starting with a VIP, invitation-only night to remember.

The venture is the first in a series of exciting new projects which will be flying the flag for the acclaimed 1884 brand. It is setting out to build on the achievements of the group’s award-winning restaurants – 1884 Marina Bar occupies the premises of the former 1884 Dock Street Kitchen and the Director is Dan Poole, who has moved across from his role as Head Chef at 1884 Wine and Tapas Bar.

The company revealed last week that it will open Cucina 1884 – its first restaurant outside Hull city centre – under Director Jane Cook in Hessle in the autumn. James MacLeod-Birch, former Director of 1884 Dock Street Kitchen, is progressing with plans for another major project and it is business as usual for Deborah Spicer, Director at 1884 Wine and Tapas Bar.

Dan has now recruited most of his team of more than 20 and said many of them are hand-picked to deliver a dining, drinking and entertainment experience which is different from anything else in the region.

He said: “We’ve recruited a brilliant team, many of them from some of the top restaurants, bars and hotels in the area. They’re all passionate about what they do and really excited about our plans for 1884 Marina Bar. Now they just want to open the doors and get to work.”

The cuisine will be modern British, inspired by Dan’s career working in some of the finest restaurants in and around Hull. The bar will be stocked with a wide range of draught beers and ciders as well as a world tour of bottled beers which will change regularly. Dan is working with Yorkshire Vintners to source some rare labels as part of an extensive wine selection, and there will be a wide variety of spirits and cocktails.

Dan said: “People might not think we’ve altered a great deal because a lot of the changes are subtle, but we’ve reconfigured the layout to accommodate a wider range of people, from couples to big groups for special occasions and corporate events, and the food and drink is very different. The opening weekend will demonstrate the huge variety of entertainment from the start to complete an experience which is unique in the Hull area.”

1884 Marina Bar will open at 7.30pm on Friday 24 August to specially-invited guests, some of whom will be selected through the bar’s social media channels. It will open to the general public from 11pm subject to space.

Dan said: “We’ll kick off on Friday with canapés, live music and a great DJ plus a few special offers so people should bring their business cards! In addition to inviting family, friends, suppliers and people who have supported our restaurants over the years we want to welcome some new faces so we’ll be offering tickets on our Twitter and Facebook.

“There will be much more going on over the Bank Holiday weekend and we’ll make every effort to ensure it goes with a bang. We’ll have DJ entertainment every night and for the coming weeks we’re lining up some great live music and hilarious comedy nights. We’re already taking bookings for laid-back Sunday afternoon sessions of long lunches to the sounds of our pianist.”

1884 Marina Bar will be open seven days a week from 11am, closing at 11pm Sunday to Thursday and going through until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights. The kitchen will open from midday until 3pm and from 5pm until 9pm Monday to Friday, midday until 9pm on Saturdays and midday until 4pm for Sunday lunch.

Anyone interested in joining the team at 1884 Marina Bar should email Dan at mailto:Dan@1884marinabar.co.uk