Plans to give Birmingham a third sky bar are being drawn up for a city centre site close to Grand Central.

The 200-cover restaurant, potentially offering both indoor and outdoor dining, would be built on top of a giant flat roof site off Hill Street.

The roof is currently above the Merlin Suite of the newly-created Birmingham Conference & Events Centre (BCEC), which is itself capable of hosting 1,000 people at events and up to 750 for dinner.

The Smallbrook Queensway site is owned and operated by Newcastle-based Cairn Group.

It now aims to create a “resort destination” out of six attractions that are being designed to run independently of each other – with the sky bar set to be the final cherry on the cake.

It will be the city's third sky bar after Marco Pierre White’s restaurant at The Cube and Park Regis hotel’s Rofuto restaurant.

General manager Vincent Garrington says he has been in talks with Michelin starred chefs in London about the possibility of operating the restaurant.

He added : “It’s very early days with plans being drawn up for 2018-19.

“The concept is for a very high end sky bar with 200 covers, subject to planning permission.

“We’ve had very tentative talks with two Michelin-starred chefs in London, or it could be that we use one of our own Cairn brands.

“Our sky bar would both behind and in front of the new Bloc tower which might even be built at the same time – that could have up to 400 people staying who will want somewhere to eat and drink.

The flat roof site (centre) of a potential new sky bar in Birmingham
The flat roof site (centre) of a potential new sky bar in Birmingham

What are the big six attractions at the new “resort”?

1. Cairn owns and operates the Holiday Inn on Smallbrook Queensway.

Each floor of the 261-bedroom hotel is about to be totally refurbished and transformed to match the standard set by a range of 14 newly created junior suites and six king duplex suites.

2. Later this month, Cairn will fully open The Lobby on Hill Street, a standalone street food and cocktail bar that will also have a outdoor, ground-level terrace with up to 80 covers on the corner of Smallbrook Queensway. The interior is finished and the entrance off Smallbrook Queensway will be completed within days.

3. Cairn has just completed work on BCEC, the largest dedicated conference centre in the city and has two sponsored bars – a Moet champagne bar and a Glenmorangie whisky bar.

The flat roof (centre) above the new Birmingham Conference & Events Centre (BCEC)
The flat roof (centre) above the new Birmingham Conference & Events Centre (BCEC)

4. Cairn has plans to develop the ground floor area below BCEC to create a new 120-cover eatery / restaurant at street level.

5. The basement floor below, currently home to a disused swimming pool, will be converted into a branded gym.

What stage are you at now?

View from the Marco Pierre White restaurant on the top of The Cube
View from the Marco Pierre White restaurant on the top of The Cube

“The Lobby and BCEC are just the beginning of our plans.

“We are confident we are in the right place at the right time, with Smallbrook Queensway about to redeveloped across the road, a whole new avenue being created leading to the Hippodrome and with further improvements planned for the Arcadian and Southside.

“Next door, the planned Bloc tower could have 400 people staying there and wanting somewhere to eat and drink.

“Our ‘mature year’ won’t be until 2020 when we will have also redeveloped the (Holiday Inn) hotel floor by floor.”

View from the Park Regis Hotel sky bar
View from the Park Regis Hotel sky bar