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CORK’S SAVOY THEATRE is to reopen, creating 65 jobs in the process.
The theatre is re-opening after a refurbishment and redesign investment of €3 million and is set to be a state of the art clubbing and live venue, its owners said.
The new venture will create 65 new jobs, 40 of which will be permanent, 15 of which will be full-time. The remaining 25 jobs will comprise of local dancers and performers from Cork’s culture scene.
Jason Denham, one of the venture’s operators, said:
The nightclub and pub sector is rapidly changing, due to the economic climate. We have learned to adapt to this new landscape very successfully through our work in Dublin club Lost Society and other Dublin venues. Our approach is progressive, hands on, constantly adapting to change and it works – our success in Dublin is proof of this. With the re-opening of the Savoy, we will be creating a new era for going out in Cork, and at the same time restoring one of Cork’s iconic night spots to its former glory, thanks to an investment of €3 million.
The Savoy has been transformed into a multi- level clubbing and live venue, with the space being re-designed by top company CDP Architects.
The bespoke sound and lighting installation was designed by AVL CEO Kevin Mc Carthy, who said that the team developed and installed a cutting edge sound and lighting system “that could only be rivalled by the best clubs in the world”.
It is expected that the Savoy will play host to bands, comedy acts and national and international DJs, while Cork-based performers from the world of arts, theatre and dance will play a huge role in bringing the venue alive, with weekly performances from aerial acrobats, circus, carnival acts and dancers.
The bar team has also been trained by top mixologists and the club will use new technology including 3D mapping and audio-visual displays.
The venue will launch on 19 October.
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also bring back sir henries !
Plus one. The greatest event in Ireland.
At least give it a go before you say it’s doomed to failure!
At least learn what you’re talking about before saying that. The place has been closed and reopened more times than Cork people can remember in recent years so you’ll excuse us locals for being somewhat sceptical!
No need for that kind of response drama-boy.
I apologise but it was somewhat evident from your post you don’t know the venue, so your scope for accurate comment was somewhat hindered!
I have lost count of how many people have taken over the Savoy and done a big relaunch of it only for it to fall flat on its face every time. The place is doomed unfortunately. I wish these guys the best obviously but people in Cork have seen this happening over and over and over again…
Aint my Favorite venue either. It always seemed to open and too big. But, if i understand right, the venue has been redesigned inside. I hope theyve done a good job. The place kept on failing because no one ould change the inside to adapt to new social changes and events. I think people want more intimacy but not over crowding. The old venue was the complete opposite of that. So maybe, if designed right, it could work now. SO lets see.
Not my favourite venue in the world to be honest, the sound quality can be truly awful in there. As Diarmuid rightly points out, that place has seen so many change of hands in recent times.
Spot on, no one ever does the sound right in there, spend all the money on curtains and decor and forget that a club needs a good sound system first and foremost.
Hey folks – not sure if you noticed, but the new club will have a new soundsystem: “installed a cutting edge sound and lighting system “that could only be rivalled by the best clubs in the world”.”
Just wanted to let you know in case you missed it as I thought it was interesting!
Aoife
Cheers for that Aoife, lets just say its not the first time we will have heard that. We live in hope I suppose?
I know that the Savoy gets some amount of abuse over its soundsystem and I hate to be too critical but several gigs I went to there had serious problems with sound e.g when I saw Laurent Garnier back in 2010, the sound was very off…way too fuzzy. It has excellent potential to be a big venue for electronic music but unfortunately recent ventures had made it too focused on commercial music, which at the weekends it can’t compete with the other clubs around the town. People don’t seem to like it as a club because it is too big – as opposed to the handy size of Havanas etc. Think
The problem with the sound was partially caused by noise complaints from the nearby residential areas, so the council had to set limits. Hopefully technology has moved on. The main floor in the old (new) Savoy was too big for anything other than a major gig. There’s obviously demand for a medium to large music venue in Cork: look at the success of the Marquee and the recent gigs on the old Beamish and Crawford site. Best of luck to them IMO
Poor sound is usually down to the shape and dimensions of the building and the type of materials that are used in construction, or in this case renovations. There is only so much the sound system can do if the buildings acoustics are not ideal. Hopefully they have got it right this time.
I for one, am delighted, I could do with a change of nightclub cenery! New jobs created, so definitely will make an effort to go & support a local business.
get the 80′s night’s back!!!
There’s no pleasing Corkonians! Sure just hang out with the winos on the streets then!
Sounds like a great venue!
Not from Cork so don’t bother throwing that one at me! ;) In fairness, I expect decent sound for a gig I’m after paying for. Didn’t read the article properly about the new soundsystem – hopefully that’ll go some way to improve things in there and attract decent acts somewhere else other than Dublin.
Oh here we go, the usual bash Cork people posts begins! Yawn! Have you ever been Colin? cause clubs aren’t made because they “appear” good, they actually have to be good in reality!
Rubbish sound, and as one poster mentioned, we’ve all heard the one about ‘world class’ soundsystems.
If you want a worldclass soundsystem spend 500 euro on a set of Beyerdynamic cans, for a start.
And for chrissakes, enough already with the noughties ‘mixologist’ nonsense.
‘Barman’ has been fine for just about as long as anybody can remember.
To quote Laura Solon, should we start calling postmen ‘postologists’ now?
Since I left school this must be the 3rd or 4th time this has been relaunched, fail to see how this time will be any different to the failings of the past.
wheres richard bruton’s photo ?
Time will tell but it’s layout would need a drastic change plus it’s location is awkward if out so best of luck but it seems to be a money pit, hope I’m wrong
how is the location awkward?? perfect distance away from the Washington street crowd
have your say