EXCLUSIVE: Malones Dundee reveals new details on £250,000 pub as opening moves closer

What the new pub could look like (Picture: Malones Dundee / Supplied)

One of Dundee city centre’s most anticipated new pubs has revealed fresh details about what people can expect when it opens its doors later this month.

Malones is currently transforming its new home on Panmure Street into an authentic Irish bar, with the company confirming to Dundee Culture that it is investing £250,000 in the venue and expects to create around 20 jobs.

The new pub will retain a lot of the building’s features (Picture: Malones Dundee / Supplied)

The new pub will feature live music at least five nights a week, a dedicated performance area, snugs and booths, a bespoke bar and plenty of Irish character. And yes - Malones’ famous spice bags are coming to Dundee too.

With renovation work now underway and the team aiming for a late September opening, Dundee Culture spoke exclusively to Malones about why the city was chosen, what is being created inside the historic building and what Dundonians can expect when the doors finally open.

1. What made Dundee the right city for the next Malones Pub, and what attracted you to the location you’ve chosen?

Dundee is a city that we’ve wanted to be a part of for a while. Having a large population with both students and Irish residents has always made the city an obvious next step for us – and finding a beautiful A-listed building with tall ceilings and original brickwork doesn’t happen often. When we saw the Panmure Street site available everything just fit into place.

2. For people in Dundee who might not already be familiar with Malones, how would you describe the concept and what will make the Dundee venue stand out?

Malones Pubs are authentic Irish bars ran by Irish publicans; that means unbeatable atmosphere, live music, and great drinks. Across Scotland, many people know us for our excellent sports scheduling (including football, rugby, GAA, F1, NFL and more) as well as our famous spice bags that we’ve brought over from Ireland. Malones Dundee will be no different, and will be a great place for locals to catch up with friends over a few drinks, have lunch, or have a night out full of great craic and live music

3. What can you tell us about the Dundee venue itself, including its design, layout and any features being created specifically for this location?

We’re leaning into the original features of the building and will retain the brick walls, steel beams and ornate windows while adding the classic Malones feeling of a traditional warm and inviting pub. Malones Dundee will be made up with snugs, booths, a large bespoke made bar counter, and a gantry with a large selection of whiskies. The venue will then be uniquely decorated with bric-a-brac purchased from auctions and dealers back in Ireland for a real home-from-home finish.

4. Live music is a major part of the Malones identity. What role will live entertainment play in Dundee, and will there be opportunities for local musicians and performers?

Live music will be a key part of our venue; we will be championing local musicians and bringing them to our stage at least 5 nights a week. Part of our refurbishment plan is the creation of a stage area for performances which will be perfect for a dance at the weekend and for bigger events like St Patrick’s Day. If you’re a local musician, get in touch as we’d love to work with you.

5. What can customers expect from the food and drink offering, and will there be any Dundee or Scottish influences alongside the Irish elements?

The spice bag is coming to Dundee! Our menus are known for being Irish with Scottish twists including great fish & chips and burgers. Stout is a big talking point for us, and we want to be known for having the country’s best pint of Guinness. We’ll also be bringing Irish food & drink from home such as Taytos, Club Orange, West Coast Coolers and more. We always look to work with local suppliers for our venues so we can support the local economy and showcase the best of the area.

6. How significant is the investment in the Dundee venue, and approximately how many jobs do you expect it to create?

We’re investing £250,000 which will create around 20 jobs in Dundee. This will be a mixture of full-time and part-time roles, roles across bar, kitchen, floor and business support.

7. What stage is the project currently at, and when are you hoping to officially open the doors?

The renovation is underway with relevant planning permissions submitted. We’re hoping to be open for late September.

8. Dundee already has a strong and varied hospitality scene. What do you hope Malones will bring to the city, and what would you say to Dundonians looking forward to visiting for the first time?

Dundee’s hospitality scene is truly one of the city’s greatest strengths and we’re looking forward to adding to it. We’re a genuinely Irish venue that’s sports and music-led that will be here for you for all occasions. To Dundonians: we’re looking forward to welcoming you in for a pint of Guinness (or anything else) and the best craic you’ll have in a while

It gives us a much clearer picture of what Malones is planning for Dundee - and this is going to be considerably more than simply putting a new name above the door.

The £250,000 investment will bring a prominent historic building back into active use while creating around 20 jobs, and the commitment to putting local musicians on stage at least five nights every week could also give Dundee’s already brilliant live music scene another important city centre venue.

It is expected to open at the end of this month (Picture: Malones Dundee / Supplied)

And with the team currently aiming to welcome its first customers before the end of September, there should not be too much longer to wait. Between the live music, sport, Irish food and drink and those much-talked-about spice bags, Malones looks set to bring something genuinely different to Panmure Street.