The Circuit Sports Cafe will be opened by champion Olympic swimmer Dawn Fraser on Thursday night.

It is the brainchild of co-owners Michael French and Anthony Clark who first met each other at the now defunct Circuit cafe in Melbourne in 1995.

“We thought Albury was the perfect spot to do the Circuit Sports Cafe, it’s such a sports-oriented town,” Mr Clark said.

Mr French owns Albury’s Q Manhattans cafe, while Mr Clark has been in motor sport promotions, working in Malaysia and at Calder Park Raceway for Bob Jane.

Some of the memorabilia in the new venture is from his collection.

A replica F1 Car hanging upside down from the ceiling and giant screen are the cafe’s two eye-popping features.

The screen, made of 25 panels and measuring five metres x 2.95 metres, covers a wall from floor to ceiling and is among the biggest in Australia.

“You won’t see a screen like that anywhere else, there is a fair amount of money tied up in that and a car above the bar which is a fair investment,” Mr Clark said.

He said sporting groups of all sorts would be catered for with teams encouraged to bring in a USB of their match so it could be played for them to watch will they eat.

The cafe will employ 15 staff including two full-time chefs and an apprentice.

Housed in the former Granatas on Dean restaurant, opposite the Atura Hotel in Dean Street, the Circuit will open Thursdays to Sundays.