Council bosses say they are ‘looking forward’ to seeing the replacement for Iron Lilies – and confirmed that funding which backed the closed Hull venue is not affected.
Leisure and property company Tokyo Industries invested around £2m into the launch of Iron Lilies, a decadent bar and restaurant with a botanical theme inside Princes Quay shopping centre, which the business also owns and operates. Hull City Council hailed the major investment as a huge boost for Hull’s city centre evening economy and hospitality sector, and the Iron Lilies project received significant funding from the authority – £750,000 from its Levelling Up Fund, as part of a wider multimillion-pound Government package.
However, less than a year after opening to grand fanfare in July 2024 – inside the former Virgin Megastore unit which had sat empty for around a decade – the doors have shut, with the centre announcing its temporary closure. In a post on its website, Princes Quay announced they were going back to the drawing board with the site, saying: “After launching a fantastic concept in a luxurious setting within Princes Quay we feel we have no alternative but to revisit the concept and offering to appeal to a wider audience.
“We are excited to announce that we are looking to re-open the premises later in the year with a brand new and far more appealing offering for our guests.”
Tokyo Industries (Yorkshire) Ltd has been contacted to find out what triggered the closure decision, but has so far not revealed what their new plans for the huge unit will entail.
Hull City Council has, however, issued a short statement, saying: “The council looks forward to seeing Princes Quay’s new concept for Iron Lilies once it reopens later in the year. The government grant funding Tokyo Industries Ltd received for this site remains unaffected.”
Hundreds of readers reacted to news of the closure after the news was revealed, with many querying what led to the decision to close.
One said: “This place looked lovely and had such potential what happened ??” while another said: “The service & food needs to match the price & the luxury interior!”
Another commented: “Shame, great idea and if this was in Leeds where it’s booming it would stand a chance.”
One said: “A stunning place just needs right staff & menu.”
A further commented: “We went a few times, apart from it being out of the way it was great , we had some great interaction with staff service was good , the young lady was very attentive to our table , have eaten food there and no complaints.”
Tokyo Industries is remaining tight lipped on the venue “with wider appeal” that could now take shape in Princes Quay, but it’s possible it may bring one of its other popular brands to the centre.
The company operates 47 bars and clubs across the UK, and seven international sites in Dubai, Ibiza, Croatia, Palm Springs and Los Angeles. Popular brands that draw in the crowds include Stein Beer Keller bars in Newcastle and Bradford, BLVD in Manchester, and Impossible in Leeds and Manchester.
At the end of last year Tokyo Industries put a number of leisure venues up for sale across the North, including the Tower Ballroom nightclub in Hull.