Somewhere new for lunch

Tuesday, 10 July, 2001 - 22:00
A $3 million renovation has given the Holiday Inn City Centre the profile and facilities it needs to take advantage of the west end’s growing corporate population.

Joining the ranks of Mezzanine, The King Street Café and the successful CBD, the Holiday Inn’s seven88 Bar/Café, with a total capacity of up to 170, is aimed squarely at the corporate lunchtime and evening drinks market.

And more than just the stylish new bar and café, the renovation has added seven new function rooms, allowing the hotel to cater for corporate event of varying capacities and themes.

Theatre, cocktail, cabaret, seminars and sit down functions now all can be catered for at the renovated property, the old Town Cinema.

“We opened this to meet the needs of the west end corporate market for lunchtime meals and after work meals and drinks and corporate functions,” Holiday Inn marketing services executive Emma Fraser said. “We will be targeting the same market as the CBD, we are aiming to give them a run for their money, but it will be hard.”

Seven88 was opened with little fanfare eight weeks ago and has steadily increased in popularity, with Friday evenings one of the busiest times of the week.

“We have alfresco dining and live music playing ... Friday nights after people finish work are the busiest,” Ms Fraser said.

“It is really somewhere new that people are eager to try.”

Restaurant and Catering Industry Association of WA executive director Terry Bright said the opening of seven88 strengthened the King Street and Hay Street area as a popular dining precinct.

“It is a sign of a growing upmarket dining precinct in that area,” Mr Bright said.