Having built strong ties with Coventry City Football Club, Dhillon’s Brewery approached them to join in partnership to create a bar for the club’s fans. At the time, Coventry City Football Club had lost their contract with their ground at the Ricoh Arena and fans were having to travel to their new base in Birmingham.
They both felt the need for somewhere in the city centre where fans could gather, watch the match, and celebrate all things ‘Sky Blue’. The club wanted the concept of the design to be considered a gift to the city fans.
Black Ivy Design had recently completed The Spire Bar – a bar interior design project, and as the client was so impressed with the results, they felt that there was only one design studio they trusted with the task. We got to work creating a worthy gift for the city fans.
The ground was initially owned by Arena Coventry Limited with the club as tenants. But following a dispute between the two, Coventry City Football Club left the ground to share with Birmingham City. In March 2021 the club announced their return to the ground in Coventry, which was welcome news to fans around the city.
The fans had been through a turbulent time losing their home and the club knew they were in dire need of a base outside of their ground. So, when Dhillon’s Brewery secured a run-down building in the city centre, they turned to Black Ivy Design to turn their vision of gifting the fans their very own sports bar into reality.
After the successful impression The Spire Bar left on the city, Dhillon’s had only one design studio in mind. They knew Black Ivy could interpret their vision and know exactly what they wanted to achieve based on the working relationship developed during the completion of The Spire Bar.
A gift as special as this needs close attention to detail and a passionate and attentive design studio, and that is precisely what we were able to deliver.
“It’s brilliant, it evokes all the emotions and all the memories from the club’s history, the way it has been designed is really good and it sparks all those memories off. It’s a really nice environment if you’re a sky blue supporter – it’s a brilliant place I couldn’t recommend it enough”
Mark Robbins – Football Club Manager – Coventry City FC
