New ‘hidden’ venue marks new chapter for one of Lancaster’s oldest retailers

“We are almost ready to unveil an exciting new space for events like gigs, gatherings, conferences, weddings, functions, and fine dining. We’ll also be featuring monthly pop-up guest chefs and incorporating Lancaster’s first focacceria!”

The kitchen will be home to two complimentary start-ups from the same stable – ‘Marra People’ and ‘Born & Bread’.

Tickets for the opening weekend at the end of April have already sold out, so look out for details of the next pop-up on the last weekend of May.

Atkinson’s owners, Ian and Sue Steel, always knew that there was an Upper Priory Hall above their existing Lower Priory Hall.

When the building came up for sale last year, they just knew they had to seize the opportunity and purchase the entire building.

Since then, they’ve opened up a mysterious ‘staircase to nowhere’ by smashing through a blocked-off ceiling to reveal a beautiful art deco landing space behind some plywood cupboards.

For the first time in decades, the two halls are now reunited as one, with access from both China Street and Castle Hill.

“The acoustics in the cavernous space of the Upper Hall are almost too good. There is a clear five second delay," says Ian, clapping his hands. “We have a fantastic sustainable solution to this acoustic baffling problem though.

"We’ll upcycle our black Archetype coffee sacks and by stuffing them with rag wool, supplied by a local shepherdess, we’ll sew them all together and hang them from a rail to give us a set of sound dampening black drapes!

“We take our responsibility for curating this jumble of buildings very seriously, and are so glad we have the opportunity to invest back into the neighbourhood in this way and save it from becoming just another bijou property

development.”

As for now, The Upper Hall is a blank canvas and waiting to see what it may become is going to be another chapter in Atkinsons exciting journey.