Soon, magical pub to open for Harry Potter fans

The pub will also have a collection of books that visitors may read. They may even plug into a listening station and enjoy an audiobook. Above: Emma Watson. Image courtesy Twitter/ Harry Potter Film

A magical wizarding pub inspired by J K Rowling's popular fantasy franchise Harry Potter may soon be set up in the UK, where Potterheads will be able to use wands to turn on beer taps and light floating candles.

The pub, set to be built in London, will use smart-home and Internet-of-things technology to produce magical effects.

The inn will be called 'The Cauldron' inspired by 'The Leaky Cauldron', a fictitious inn from the world of Harry Potter that serves as a gateway to the wizarding world.

Matthew Cortland, a 28-year-old former teacher from New Jersey is launching a crowdfunding project to raise USD 500,000 for the pub.

"Our food menu will feature dishes that are explicitly mentioned in fantasy texts. We will source our recipes and ideas for the implementation of those dishes from our community of fans," Cortland said.

"We will create spectacular science-based cocktails that look and behave like potions that are described in fantasy books," he said."Our resident mixologist will be tasked with using the magical elements in our pub to brew drinks that capture your imagination. It's a boozy mix of mixology, science, and technology," he added.

The pub will also have a collection of books that visitors may read. They may even plug into a listening station and enjoy an audiobook.

People who donate USD 25 or more towards the project will receive rewards including branded pint glasses and immortalisation in digital "moving wizard photos" on the pub's walls, 'The Times' reported.

The technology that allows people to turn on their music system or TV using voice commands at home could be harnessed to create illusions of magic.

"Internet-of-things technologies such as voice control, sensors, and connected devices will be at the core of our magic wand's ability to control certain aspects of the pub," Cortland said.

"We are also bringing in much older technological and scientific principles, like magnetism with floating candles and chemical reactions with science-based wizarding cocktails," he added.