Dome sets sail with new image – as a landlocked ocean liner
THE businessmen who have been running Plymouth bar The Waterfront are to take over the closed and derelict The Dome on the Hoe and refurbish it to look like a 1930s ocean liner.
Inns of Cornwall and Devon, run by John Milan and Steve Bellman, has entered into an agreement with Plymouth City Council for the 125year lease and intends to repurpose and refurbish the two-storey building as a restaurant and bar.
Contracts have now formally been exchanged and behind the scenes the company has been looking at decoration ideas, based on an art deco/1930s ocean liner theme.
The company was selected by Plymouth City Council following a bidding process carried out by independent property consultants JLL.
The partnership has considerable experience in the hospitality industry, running award-winning venues, including the nearby Waterfront, at West Hoe, which won gold in the 2019 Devon Tourism Awards Pub of the Year and silver in this year’s awards.
The company also runs the Three Crowns, in Chagford, which has just won gold in the same category, and four other pubs including Exeter’s
The Mill on the Exe and Headweir House, and Cornwall’s Pandora Inn, at Mylor Bridge, and Tricky’s at the Tolgus Inn, Redruth.
Council leader Tudor Evans said: “This is a successful West Country partnership which has strong links with the city of Plymouth. They have been part of the Plymouth family of businesses for a number of years and I can’t wait to see what they do with The Dome. It has terrific views and is in amazing location.
“More and more people are enjoying the city’s waterfront in the evenings, with more bars, cafes and restaurants, which is exactly what we want to see.”
It is hoped that the main bar area could be open for business as soon as July this year, followed by the rest of the building as fast as the refurbishment allows.
Mr Milan said: “Plymouth’s waterfront is a special location and we want to create something really special in the Dome.
“We wanted to make the most of some of the existing features as well as the view, and think the ocean liner theme will be the perfect fit for Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City, and, of course, for those who want a great night out on the waterfront.”