grey street gems

winter 22 grey street gems

It goes without saying that Grey Street, home to some of the most beautiful buildings and architecture in the city, is the place to be if you’re looking for up market dining, drinks and accommodation. The Malhotra Group have had a passion for the historical buildings of Newcastle for years, bringing many back to life with award winning hospitality venues.

The family owned group have recently had plans approved to implement a £50M development in the city centre, including a large development on Grey Street incorporating Mosley Street and the Cloth Market. A further two developments are planned at 1 Mosley and The Market Lane, which includes the city’s oldest banqueting hall. These £10M projects will complement the nearby Reuben Brothers redevelopment and are set to take Newcastle’s hospitality sector to a new level, featuring brand new hotels, apartments, nightclubs, bars and restaurants, as well as office space. Malhotra Group clearly have lots of exciting plans for Newcastle in the next 3-5 years, however two of their most impressive venues already stand side by side on Grey Street. Leila Lily’s and Grey Street Hotel are two jewels in the city’s crown that have established themselves as amazing venues catering for both corporate and family events. If you haven’t visited already, then next time you are in Newcastle, why not make a reservation and find out what you’ve been missing? Both venues have recently undergone extensive renovations, so there’s no time like the present to see what these incredible settings are all about. Following our recent visits, find out more about their latest investment in an ‘all you need to know’ guide before you book…

Leila Lily’s

The venue Since opening in 2019, Leila Lily’s has become one of Newcastle’s go-to venues for those looking for a sophisticated drinking and dining experience without the stuffiness. Aesthetically, Leila Lily’s is a joy to the eyes, both inside and out. The exterior of the majestic Grade II Listed building ushers you in with an arch of colourful flowers, alluding to the opulent floral theme and tasteful splashes of colour that follow throughout. It is evident that the Malhotra Group have worked tirelessly to create a welcoming ambience inside the bar and restaurant, with theatrical interior design filled with personal touches and one-off moments that really capture the imagination. Named after the eldest daughter of Atul Malhotra (the Malhotra Group’s Chief Operations Officer), you can feel that Leila Lily’s has a huge amount of thought and attention put into every aspect of its design. This has been recognised with an international award for design and voted nationally as the best bar in the North East.

The food After being blown away by the venue itself, the next pinch-yourself moment will, without a doubt, be when you’re biting into the award-winning food from the extensive menu. The Rosette-winning bar and restaurant serves up a sophisticated selection of plates for all occasions and palettes, including impressive vegan and vegetarian menus, a mouth-watering dessert offering and incredible cocktails. The restaurant's new Head Chef, Jim Hall, formerly of Ramside Estates and Sir Charles Napier of Oxford, describes his food as seasonal, British and balanced.

Why we love it There is lots to love about Leila Lily’s, but what we’ve really fallen head over heels for is the sparkling new private dining area, Eva Rose Garden, named after Atul’s youngest daughter. It is the result of a recent £100,000 refurbishment of the lower ground floor basement area. Continuing the delicate floral theme, this premium dining space, with its own private bar, is the perfect place for special celebrations and extraordinary occasions getting lost in a floral wonderland. Eva Rose Garden really takes Leila Lily’s to the next level and continues to showcase this family-run group as an industry leader for Newcastle and the North East.

Grey Street Hotel

The venue Occupying a stunning Grade II Listed building, Grey Street Hotel is a luxurious box-ticker when it comes to staying in the heart of Newcastle. The hotel has benefitted from a recent £2m renovation including updates to the rooms, corridors, hotel reception and conference areas. The boutique four-star hotel offers 49 contemporary en-suite rooms, all with their own unique look and signature style. A signature of Malhotra Group's venues, the rooms boast the original features of the grand Grade II Listed building, including high ceilings in the elegant bedrooms and large sash windows.

The stay For the most premium experience at Grey Street Hotel, you can treat yourself to one of the venue’s five exclusive junior suites, one of which is named after the famous Charles Grey, Prime Minister from 1830-1834, whom Grey Street is named after. Each suite features a unique style and decor, all of which have been individually designed to provide the most comfortable stay possible. The suites are spacious and offer additional luxuries to make your stay relaxing and enjoyable from start to finish, including mini fridges, fluffy robes and soft slippers to sink into at the end of a busy day exploring Newcastle.

Why we love it Beautiful rooms and luxurious hospitality aside, another reason why we love Grey Street Hotel is the huge offerings all under one roof. It is the ideal location for business trips, with large premium meeting spaces

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available for hire, City Retreat offering first class salon treatments for pamper days, and the stunning Leila Lily’s bar and restaurant next door. What’s more? Grey Street Hotel is working towards creating a state-ofthe-art gym in early 2023, alongside some of the city’s top personal trainers. The ultimate experience when it comes to leisure facilities.

5 minutes with Atul Malhotra…

We sat down with Malhotra Group Chief Operations Officer, Atul Malhotra, to find out more about their planned developments in Newcastle and ambitions for the future.

Could you give us an insight into the current development plans the Malhotra Group has in the pipeline? We are working on our £50M development plan for venues throughout Newcastle City Centre that will include hotels, apartments, nightclubs, bars, restaurants, rooftops and office space. We've recently received planning permission from Newcastle City Council and strip-out works have already commenced for a large development on Grey Street. We'll be going to tender next year, once our designs are finalised. At the same time, we have two very large developments on Pilgrim Street with planning permission for 23 apartments, a bar and restaurant and rooftop area. Work should start on that in the first quarter of next year. These are the two largest and most exciting developments we are currently working on, however there is a lot more in the pipeline.

Are we right in saying you’re also planning on developing The Market Lane (aka The Monkey Bar) in the near future? Yes, it’s pretty exciting. We’ve got planning permission for an extension to the upper floor, the rear and the building next door. The rear is actually the city’s oldest banqueting hall so we’re restoring that with a wonderful scheme that will complement the listed building’s original features.

It’s become a signature of the Malhotra Group to restore and bring listed buildings back to life in Newcastle, why are these historic buildings so important to the organisation? Our philosophy as a group has always been about bringing beautiful, listed, historical buildings of the city back for the public to enjoy. We are proud of what we do. At the end of the day, we are custodians of the city, we believe it's our role and responsibility to ensure it thrives and remains looked after. We are constantly investing money in attractive buildings so that we can maintain what gives our city so much character. It's a huge responsibility to have, but it is one we take huge pride in and we are passionate about the city we live in.

“Our philosophy as a group has always been about bringing beautiful, listed, historical buildings of the city back for the public to enjoy.”