Gravity Southside bar and entertainment complex to open in former Debenhams store

A 100,000 sq ft bar, restaurant and entertainment complex is to open in the former Debenhams store in London’s Wandsworth this summer.

Billed as a ‘reinvention of the high street’, Gravity Southside will include an electric go-kart track, bowling alley, digital darts, E-sports gaming area and an arcade. A Japanese bar and noodle kitchen will serve food alongside a a sports bar and a New York-style cocktail bar.

The venue will be spread across three floors with space for up to 1,000 people and is set to create 200 full and part-time jobs.

Debenhams struggled during the pandemic and closed the last of its retail stores in May after it was sold to online fashion retailer Boohoo for £55m in January.

Gravity Entertainment and developer Landsec have invested £6m in to the former Wandsworth site, which will act as a pilot for planned future London openings.

Michael Harrison, founder of Gravity Entertainment, said: "This project takes active entertainment to the next level with loads of immersive experiences and UK firsts. By day it’s the perfect half-day experience for the family or a great place to host a party. By night we will dim the lights, speed up the E-karts, ramp up the music with live performances and let the adults take over. A perfect place to meet friends or host a corporate event.”

Gravity Entertainment was founded as a trampoline park operator in 2014.