The former Lucky 7 premises on John Finnie Street in Kilmarnock has revealed its new identity as a classic all-day cafe bar called The Duke – set to open in January.
Its name is inspired by the railway line that used Scotland’s first ever steam locomotive which was acquired by the Duke of Portland to transport coal from Kilmarnock to Troon Harbour.
The Duke, operated by family-owned business Buzzworks, will serve breakfast, brunch and dinner in relaxed surroundings as well as offering hand roasted artisan coffee, a takeaway and late-night bar service.
Renovation works are currently underway to refresh the interior of the venue under the guidance of design guru Jim Hamilton. Some of the new additions include cosy sofas, a marble bar and eclectic one-off pieces of furniture gathered from Jim’s travels across Europe.
Buzzworks, which has been named consecutively for four years in Sunday Times Best Companies to Work for, is spearheading a recruitment drive to fill around 20 vacancies across various roles at The Duke including bar and kitchen staff.
Kenny Blair, Managing Director (pictured), said, “Kilmarnock is at the heart of our plans and we’re passionate about investing in the local community by operating venues that everyone can enjoy. Launching The Duke is a definitive part of this exciting chapter.
“We are looking for talented people to join us in providing world class hospitality to our customers - synonymous with Buzzworks venues. The new recruits will join some of the existing team from Lucky 7 and training will be ongoing ahead of the opening in January.”