Venue of Benidorm's newest fun bar "Showboat"

You could be forgiven for thinking that Benidorm was on the brink of closure after reading the papers over the last year. Headlines announcing the demise of yet another bar or more entertainers packing up and heading back to the UK - but there's one which is bucking the trend! A brand new venue is due to open on 1st March called "Showboat". It is not in the Old Town or the "English Quarter" but located next to the Levante Club hotel, just before Benidorm Palace - (which makes parking so much easier).

I popped by during the week to speak with Wayne Wright, owner of this new and spectacular venue. He is certainly no novice when it comes to entertainment and hospitality - having owned and run Queen's Hotel in the Old Town for 8 years (selling up last year) and performed nightly cabarets there as his alter ego "Miss Levi". He bought the hotel as a run down shell and spent much effort renovating and even adding extra floors to provide spacious accommodation. I remember going there one night some 5 years ago where a British television crew were filming a live evenings entertainment, which was hailed a great success.

Wayne started his entertainment career as a Butlin's Redcoat at the Blackpool Metropole - one night he was handed a crushed red velvet dress as they needed a compare for a ladies night ... and so Miss Levi was born! He came to Benidorm 20 years ago from his native Manchester where his first job was working as a promoter at "Boo Boo Beach" - now Tiki Beach on the Levante front. His first gig was at "Showboat" (now Red Dog) and ended up at "Sandra's" on Calle Lepanto - where he performed his famous "Miss Levi" routine for 19 years bringing in the crowds night after night. Being a performer and working the crowds is in his blood.

"Miss Levi" with Benidorm cast on ITV's Daybreak  last year

Wayne told me that he's always had his eye on this venue and when the opportunity came up he grabbed it - with his years of experience he certainly knows what the customer wants. The place was still being worked on but I could already see that it will be a spectacular place with a lot of effort going into the decor to create the perfect ambiance. There will be a live show every evening performed by "Miss Levi and the Dream Girls & Boys" with special guest artistes also being invited to perform. They have rehearsed different shows so that it won't be the same night after night as is the case at many other venues. A DJ will also be there each night to entertain the crowds either side of show and to carry on the showboat theme all staff will be dressed as sailors.

Wayne taking a 5 minute break to show me around

To the side of the main building will be a restaurant serving both "Menu del Dia" and "al la Carte" luxury dining offering English and Dutch cuisine. The chef has been bought over from  a top class UK restaurant and the aim is to cater to an International clientele - everything will be home-made - no frozen veg or Aunt Bessie's Yorkshire puddings he was keen to emphasis. The restaurant will be available to hire out for private functions such as Weddings,  Christenings, special birthdays - in fact 2 wedding receptions have already been booked.

The decor is vibrant,theatrical and pure show business - well Wayne has had first hand experience as he use to be the warm up act for names such as Lilly Savage (Paul O'Grady) and Simon "Betty Legs Diamond" in Blackpool.
The opening night of Showboat is on Thursday 1st March at 8pm  "The Showboat is a life times ambition - it is a sole venture with no financial backers or investors so I'm giving it 100% commitment" said Wayne and everyone is welcome. So come along and toast Wayne and his team the best of luck.