The west London site is being transformed into a culture and entertainment hub
Des Gunewardena, formerly of restaurant group D&D London but now heading up new hospo company D3 Collective, is only just opening his newest projects Engel & Jang at the Royal Exchange but he’s not wasting any time getting onto the next concept. And it’s a big’un. Next year he’ll open a restaurant, a cafe/grill, a central bar, an outdoor dining space and a basement speakeasy at the new-look Olympia in west London.
Gunewardena will be putting all of that inside the 30,000 sq ft Pillar Hall, a Grade II-listed space originally built in 1885 by architect Henry Edward Coe. The 2025 version will be mixing many of the original design elements with a new interior, which will also include a 600-capacity new music and events space.
And that’s just scratching the surface of the Olympia redevelopment – when complete, the 14-acre site will boast two revamped exhibition venues, two hotels, 550,00 sq ft of office space, a 4,000-capacity music arena, a state-of-the-art theatre and more than 30 bars and restaurants, at a cost of £1.3bn.
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Key information
Opening date | 2025
Address | Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UX
For more information | olympia.co.uk