Cyclone Leisure Group to relaunch new million-pound venue in Newcastle

The Union Rooms is set to relaunch in Newcastle following a multi-million-pound refurbishment by local Cyclone Leisure Group.

Formerly a Wetherspoons pub, The Union Rooms will open on November 23. A regional mixologist has been brought on board to deliver the venue’s cocktails.

Chris Fumoleau will head a 25-strong bar team, having learned his trade at high-end hotels and restaurants - like Café 21, The Vermont Hotel, The Launderette and Alvino’s.

He said: “My aim is to bring customers cocktails that so far haven’t been seen outside cities such as Manchester, Edinburgh and London, with ingredients they have probably never heard of.

“We’ll be using butterfly pea flowers, for example, to create drinks that change colour and we will even be making our own soda water - to a closely guarded recipe - that also changes colour.”

Cyclone Leisure Group incorporates Lorenzo North East which operates San Lorenzo restaurants at Gosforth and Washington.