Meet the newest member of the Timepiece family!

Following weeks of refurbishment, the venue that formerly hosted Hole in the Wall is set to re-open this week.

The Tab managed to get a sneak preview of the bar, as well as a guided tour by manager George Sloane.

The revamped property has a capacity that can fluctuate between 600-700, depending on the placement of the furniture due to the needs of the client.

The top floor is the only one thus far near completion – however, the juxtaposition between the finely polished bar and ornate furnishings show a marked departure from the style of the old Hole in the Wall.

Sloane, a genial Irishman, who with his business partner Robert Skinner has run Timepiece for almost 20 years, alongside Old Timers and around 10 other properties in the area, is optimistic about the venue’s potential.

“I think it’s fantastic, though obviously I’m biased. You can’t predict how these things are going to go…but I think it will be a great success. When you cultivate a nicer venue, people will treat it better.”

The pièces de résistance in terms of the aesthetics are undoubtedly the set of nine matching 110-year-old French chandeliers that adorn the ceiling.

The Tab also got a peek behind the scenes at the kitchen, where the owners are currently deliberating whether to serve Mexican food or 2-for-1 pizzas, and at a cellar so filled with kegs it felt like we were looking into the Mirror of Erised.

The bar remains as yet unnamed, with Sloane disclosing that the two leading options are ‘The Warehouse’, “due to the feel of the place” or simply ‘Hole In The Wall’, “as it’s been called that since the 60s”.

Express your thoughts on the names at our poll at the bottom of this page.

Throughout the tour, we asked George all the things we thought you’d want to know about Timepiece’s little sister…

How much will a pint cost?

“We’ll offer the same drinks deals to students as Timepiece does – student prices on student nights.”

Is it a bar or a club?

“We don’t want to just open another disco – the venue’s versatile though. I see it as a feeder for Timepiece. We’re putting in a big window on the middle floor where you can have a drink and have some food, rather than queue out in the cold.”

Former Guild Pres Nick Davis told the Times that Exeter’s nightlife is its worst feature – care to comment?

“I agree that Exeter needs a more vibrant nightlife – and I’m really looking forward to working with societies and promoters to help bring this about. We’re the AU’s main sponsor, and give them around £40,000 a year – it’s through building on that relationship that we’ll get a higher quality of nightlife for students.”

When will you be open?

“We’re going to open the top floor quietly on Wednesday, and have a few private functions to give it a test run. We’ll start work on the middle floor and the kitchen in around 10 days and the ground floor after that. Hopefully all three floors will be open by the summer term – definitely in time for freshers’ week!”

What’s the idea for the ground floor?

“It can work as a private function room and a social room, but really I see it as a gig venue. I’m a big fan of live music, especially the stuff we do with Campus Bands at Timepiece. I tested out the acoustics with a little PA the other day, and they’re absolutely brilliant.”

Finally, what inspired you to take over this venue?

“I’d always hoped this venue would come available, and was delighted to sign the lease on it before Christmas. On most of our student nights we have 300-400 queuing for Timepiece – lots of tears and frustration, people needing the bathroom and the like. Having the place next door means we can say ‘come in, see a band, have some food, you’ll be in in an hour’ – considering the alternatives, you’d be mad not to.”