By Nicola Walker
Berlinkys has recently opened on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street and the new state-of-the-art bar and live entertainment venue has been taking the city by storm. The new venue owned by Dawncrest, who also own Bamboo and Bunker in the city, has been completely transformed with an investment of around £2.3 million, including a state-of-the-art £250,000 sound system and a brand-new kitchen.
Designed by Surface ID, the venue is breathtaking from the moment you catch a glimpse of the bold exterior. The vibrant turquoise frontage is adorned with orange canopies, outdoor furniture, planters, large windows and autumnal flower arrangements. It certainly is eye-catching and encourages you through the doors to see what else it has to offer.
Samantha Carlin, from interior designers Surface ID, shared, “The vision for Berlinkys was to create Glasgow’s newest destination venue – a flexible entertainment space for bands, arial acts and comedians alike. An all-day venue, designed to work from early morning right through to the spectacular all singing, all dancing nighttime shows.”
The venue is set over two levels with stages on both floors. On the ground level the huge stage branded with a 
‘Berlinkys’ neon certainly is the main focus. In front of this is a dancefloor and with long wooden tables and bench seating which has been beautifully upholstered in fluted brown leather by Drakemire Upholstery.
There is a long bar to the left of the stage which is clad in wood and brought to life by the gold gantry and glass orb lights. This is surround by an array of seating areas from gold metal bar stools, comfortable red velvet-touch bar stools, leather clad booths and floral-patterned bucket chairs that sit in the raised area in front of the windows.
Moving towards the rear there are little pockets of relaxed space which includes a roaring fireplace integrated into the centre of a high table. There is also a glass cupola adorned with hanging greenery.
Underneath this there is an area decorated with cream, green and yellow metro tiling, a large mirror, leafy pot plants and chesterfield sofas – a real chill out zone. The entire venue just feels incredibly warm and cosy with an amber glow from the lights. This really sets off the bare brick walls, polished wooden floors and the venetian plaster effect on the ceiling and ornate pillars. This is a wonderful inclusion of the original features of the building within the design.
The most striking part though is the moving lighting feature where coloured orbs move between the lower level in front of the stage up to the second-floor balcony.
Samantha from Surface ID agrees, saying, “There are a number of amazing design elements at Berlinkys that really elevate the interior, but the lighting rig is a mesmerising and captivating feature. This moves up and down between the double-height void, seamlessly integrating with every aspect of the entertainment, connecting both floors and moving with the performers and music.”
On the upper level of the venue there is another large balcony bar, more unique seating and booth areas, a second smaller stage and plenty more space for dancing.
‘The Gallery’, a private bar and dining space, is available for exclusive use for corporate events and more intimate gatherings. This area features a wonderful horseshoe shaped bar and is lit by a huge circular metal frame which holds more of the glass orb lights used throughout. It is certainly beautiful area for a private party.
With a packed entertainment schedule lined up in the coming months including bands, comedy and DJs, Berlinkys certainly offers something for everyone in a truly unique setting.
Brendan Curran, Operations & Business Development Manager for Dawncrest added, “It’s been a long and occasionally stressful journey from conception to reality, but a wonderful one to have been a part of. It’s very seldom you get to be a part of something of this magnitude from the ground up and it’s been a real learning curve putting it all together with the various partners involved.
Thankfully we’ve hit the ground running and we’ve been really well received. “Our focus from the outset has always been the customer journey – so we can maximise their experience and provide something completely different to the city. With times being tight, we felt it was crucial to stand out from the crowd and we feel we’re on the right road here. With a packed out Christmas calendar on the horizon, we’re looking ahead to 2025 with a real energy and determination to keep our customers coming and with an array of new surprises in store!”
