'We want this to be the best venue in the world'

BIG AMBITION AS MASSIVE CITY CENTRE VENUE OPENS

- BEN ARNOLD

A HUGE venue on the site of a former factory has opened – debuting its new style of pizza, dry-aged burgers, a huge outdoor space, frozen daiquiris and a raised runway for hedonistic nights out this summer.

Diecast, from the team behind Ramona and the Firehouse – and before that the likes of the Albert Hall, Trof, The Deaf Institute and Gorilla – has been almost three years in the making.

It has taken over the former Presbar factory space between Ducie Street and Store Street in the city centre.

Partygoers, brunch seekers and the generally curious will arrive from the Ducie Street entrance, walking through the venue’s beer garden at the front, which is perimetered by US-style trailers, which will be bookable for big groups and parties.

You can then choose to sun yourself with a drink outside or head inside into the huge hangar room and the restaurant area called Leno (so-named after the eldest son of co-owners Adelaide Winter and Joel Wilkinson).

There, you’ll be able to choose from a huge range of drinks – signature being the frozen daiquiri, seven flavours of which are served from huge dispensers behind the bar.