Wunderbar West opened in Glasgow and what a treat the second instalment of the brand is. Having originally opened in the city centre in 2022, the venue has 
attracted a legion of fans who I’m sure will be delighted to have a West End addition.
Designed by Surface ID, Wunderbar West has a more pub-like feel than its city centre sister and boasts a beautiful 200-capacity beer garden and outside bar.
Jack Hovell, Interior designer at Surface ID told DRAM, “The inspiration was obviously taken from the original Wunderbar. However, we wanted to create the 2.0 version in its own unique style and based around its location. A lot of the design elements came from what we found when we started the refurb of the former Sanctuary nightclub. This enabled us to put certain finishes in certain areas. For example, we knocked down all of the partition walls and at the far right we reclaimed part of the ceiling area to expose all the timber rafters hidden underneath. There’s a great atmosphere as soon as you step into the venue.”
Walking down Dumbarton Road you are now met with the bold yellow Wunderbar signage which sits on leafy foliage that stretches the length of the building. To the left you will find a stunning ornate wrought iron gate through which you can grab a sneak peek at their massive outdoor area. Even the gate has been branded as the ‘Wundergarten’ and creates the illusion that you are Charlie reaching the Chocolate Factory for the first time!
Upon entering the main doors to the venue, it now feels airy and bright due to the installation of windows looking onto Dumbarton Road and the bi-fold doors at one end allowing a view of the garden. The extensive bar ahead stretches all the way down the room with a slick copper top and frontage that blends distressed white metro tiles and slats of different coloured wood. The caged gantry above the bar has been brought to life through lights and faux greenery.
The walls around the room are a mixture of exposed brick, warm timber cladding and the same white tiling used on the bar. At the far end a stage has been built to showcase all the live music that Wunderbar has to offer seven nights a week. This has been surrounded by fairground lights and red velvet curtains which gives an old burlesque theatre feel.
On the walls, large mirrors have been used to increase depth and some are surrounded by metal cage frames dotted with lights. One of the walls is painted with the word ‘Exchequer’ across it, and I was curious to know the reason why.
Group Operations Manager, Gavin Boyle, shared, “In our city centre venue we have a wall with McCormicks written on it which looks like you have exposed an old wall. That building used to be McCormicks Printworks. We’ve done the same here as the building used to be The Exchequer pub and we wanted to have that nod to the buildings past.”
There are exquisite features to look at in every direction – rustic timber, blue Portuguese inspired patterned tiles, metallic finishes in copper and blackened steel and a decorative copper tin tile ceiling which has been painted to look aged and tarnished.
The lighting is also plentiful and spectacular throughout, including various rigs that have been custom made for the venue. The large circular rings in front of the bar which have been draped in faux greenery are particularly eye-catching.
There are also warm orange LED lights throughout that highlight the timber features. Wandering out into the garden area it is clear that the outside has been as carefully considered as the internal design. This area was formerly a car park and is now a beautifully covered outside area, landscaped and filled with smart furniture and greenery.
To the right there is an external bar, charming barrel tables and plants that cascade from the roof and from modern metal hanging baskets. There is also a large branded Wunderbar mirror which is illuminated and surrounded by foliage – perfect for those Instagram photo moments!
Designer, Jack adds, “The biggest transformation and unique aspect is the garden. However, the feel you get from the openness of the whole layout is great – you can see from one end to the other and there’s so much going on. Hopefully all of the considered decorative design elements are appreciated. We have aimed to showcase the Wunderbar brand, but we also hope the unique aspects really shine.”