Saturday June 18, 2011

Popular cafe chain opens in Malacca’s heritage zone

By ALLISON LAI
malacca@thestar.com.my

MALACCA: Tourists to the historic city has another landmark to visit when the Hard Rock Cafe opens by the end of 2012.

Strategically located near the famous Jonker Walk and within the Unesco World Heritage site, the cafe would occupy a 840 sqm site with areas for dining, lounge, bar, live entertainment and an underground carpark.

Hard Rock Cafe Enterprise Sdn Bhd chairman Tan Sri Syed Yusof Syed Nasir said the RM17mil venture would add to existing outlets in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

Having fun: Mohd Ali (right) trying to play the guitar assisted by Syed Yusof after the cafe’s ground breaking ceremony.

“Hard Rock Cafe Malacca will incorporate classic architectural features, in line with its location in the heritage core zone.

“While maintaining the heritage element, we will also abide to the state regulations on the cafe’s construction,” he said at a ground breaking ceremony with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam recently.

Syed Yusof said the cafe was expected to attract between 360,000 and 480,000 patrons a year including businessmen, locals and tourists.

“We also expect substantial revenue as Malacca records an average of 10 million visitors annually.

“We look forward to bringing a high energy dining experience, the best local and international live music and entertaining events with the rock ‘n’ roll passion that has made Hard Rock world famous,” he said.

The cafe’s in-house and alfresco dining areas can accommodate up to 180 people casually while the Rock Shop would open by the end of this year.

“The Rock Shop is a dedicated retail merchandise store and stocks a range of limited-edition Hard Rock Cafe merchandise, includingapparel, gifts and collectibles,” he added.

The first Hard Rock Cafe in Malaysia was opened in Kuala Lumpur in 1991 and underwent a RM3mil makeover in Sept 2008.

Its second outlet opened in Penang’s Batu Feringghi in October last year.