Arc has invested £4m into the 7,200ft site off Shaftesbury Avenue, which spans two floors and is set to open as part of the group’s Box brand in October.
It is expected the flagship venue will create 90 new jobs and will have capacity for 450 guests and seating for 200, with the aim to be the ultimate bar to watch, play and party late into the night.
Co-founder and CEO Wolstencroft told The Morning Advertiser the business had been negotiating for about six months.
He added: “[London] is somewhere we’ve always wanted to open [and we’ve] been looking for the right opportunity in the right part of the city, where we can hopefully, make a fantastic success.”
Cluster model
Wolstencroft alluded to the fact the company’s first foray into the capital was just the start of its growth in London.
He said: “We’re excited for the chance to come down here, make a great success of this and build our cluster model.
“[We want to] get this [site] open, look for more opportunities in London to support it and drive further growth for the business.”
He also outlined how the Box and Manahatta brands would fit the capital best.
Furthermore, the multiple operator boss said the new site was a huge investment and milestone for the business.
Extremely proud
“It’s an opportunity to prove ourselves against some of the best in the world in hospitality, which we are excited about and proud of,” he added.
When announcing the new site, Wolstencroft said it was a huge step for the business.
He added: “We are extremely proud of what we have built with our Box concept, with Box Nottingham recently being awarded Best New Site at the 2025 Publican Awards.
“We now can’t wait to bring our award-winning bar to the capital.”
