Arc Inspirations invests £1.4m in new Leeds venue
The second site for The Box in Leeds, which will take the number of bars in the group’s portfolio to 18, will open in September in a prime city centre location close to existing Manahatta and Banyan Bar & Kitchen venues.
The concept for the new site revolves around providing a range of experiential activities for customers. In keeping with this, The Box features two full-sized shuffleboard tables found in an exclusive ‘Shuffle Box’ area, a separate electronic dartboard area and with a number of widescreen TVs scattered throughout the building for live sport screenings.
Additionally, DJs will play on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings while a band from Leeds College of Music will regularly feature in the site’s upstairs area.
Doing things differently
Arc Inspirations chief executive Martin Wolstencroft said: “We’re a forward-thinking business that is tuned into the latest trends and consumer demands.
“We’re not wedded to a concept and have put considerable time, effort and investment in creating an experiential space that offers a little something for everyone.
“We’ve really focused on doing things a bit differently, with the aim of creating memorable experiences and moments that will drive footfall and loyalty throughout the year.”
The Box’s food offering includes a diverse pizza offering and premium burgers sourced from award-winning butcher Lishman's of Ilkley.
In addition, Arc Inspirations has created a ‘Box Grab 'n' Go’ concept that allows customers to pre-order food and collect it at a time that suits them in the hope of boosting midweek trade.
The bar will also feature Leeds’ first Budvar tank beer alongside local craft Yorkshire beers and ciders and cocktails such as Pornstar and Espresso Martinis on tap.
Fine-tuned offering
Wolstencraft added: “Quality, consistency and speed of service are key features of this evolved food and drink offer.
“Yes, pizza and burgers are a well-trodden path, but we have spent considerable time fine-tuning these menu items and we’re delighted with the results.
“We will also be the very first in the UK to use an imported Morello Forni rotating bed pizza oven as well as a pizza former to create the perfect authentic Napoli pizza.
“On the drinks front, we’ve created bespoke cocktail recipes to be served fast on draught, alongside fresh tank beer.
“We’re an ambitious company that is confident in our brands and hungry to grow. Taking into consideration our two openings in Manchester, we will be launching three sites in about a month.
“This is a unique achievement given the challenging backdrop of the market, and testament to our strong sales, customer proposition and brand positioning.”
