Brewing giant Guinness has finally revealed details about its enormous new store house in London.
The Guinness Open Gate Brewery is to be a 50,000 sq ft space with two restaurants, guided tours and a tasting room, as well as various other interactive attractions. The project has been slow to get off the ground, first announced in 2022.
Guests will be able to explore Ireland’s most famous export by way of a “360-degree immersive experience”, an announcement said, while a “pour your own pint” activity is designed to teach Guinness obsessives all about the brand’s two-part pour.
Looking after the beer at the venue will be Hollie Stephenson, who previously headed up the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore, US. Visitors will be able to sample an ever-changing menu including lagers, IPAs, pale ales and porters and learn about the history of the Dublin tipple.
Doors will open at the new store house and microbrewery on December 11, with restaurants led by chefs Pip Lacey and Calum Franklin.
Lacey, formerly of Hicce in Coal Drops Yard, will oversee Gilroy’s Loft — named after expert Guinness marketer John Gilroy — a casual rooftop restaurant featuring native oysters, line-caught fish and “British classics”.
On the ground floor, a courtyard space will feature the main bar alongside handmade pies by Franklin, best known for his work at the Pie Room at Holborn Dining Room.
The Porter’s Table, meanwhile, will “pay homage to the hardworking porters of Covent Garden, who long moved goods through the markets”.
Guinness said the restaurant will spotlight “the very best of British produce”, including Cornish fish and Scottish beef.
The launch comes as Guinness’ popularity reaches an all-time high in Britain. In 2022, the stout became the country’s number one beer for the first time, while shortages blighted consumers in the tail-end of 2024 as the Dublin brewery struggled to keep up with heightened demand.
Deb Caldow, marketing director for Guinness in Britain, said: “[This] has been years in the making and we’re thrilled that the moment has almost arrived. We can’t wait to welcome Londoners and visitors from around the UK and the world.
“We consider this Guinness’ home in the UK, hosted in the country’s dynamic capital city. It will be a place to celebrate heritage, embrace innovation, and invite visitors to discover new flavours, experiences, and stories. Good things really are coming.”
Reservations for tours at the new attraction will be released in November. Guinness Open Gate Brewery London will open on December 11 at 1 Mercer Walk, WC2H 9FA guinness.com
