A new bar in Carlton is preparing to welcome customers for the very first time this weekend after previous opening plans were scuppered by Covid restrictions.
Steve’s Bar, which is a brand new venue on Carlton Square, was originally due to open in May but this got delayed by a month when lockdown restrictions affecting indoor hospitality were extended.
Now, after months of waiting for restrictions to ease, owner Stephen Charles will finally see his dream of running his own bar become a reality when he opens on Saturday (June 26).
Mr Charles took over the lease for the unit at the shopping destination at the start of the year and has now put his own mark on the place. It had previously house the Elhairgance hair salon which closed in 2020.
He told Gedling Eye: “It’s been a year in the making from planning to signing the lease and opening. We had initially planned to open in May but due to Covid it was just impossible. But it’s great we can now welcome people.”
Mr Charles is now hoping the whole community will get behind the new venture which he thinks will breathe life into Carlton Square before its revamp later this year.
“I’m hoping our venue will be embraced by the community,” he said.
“It’s somewhere to come for a drink with a friend and also a coffee during the day. We’ll be running quizzes and also bingo on a Friday night – starting next week. There’ll be live entertainment every Saturday night and we also hope to offer karaoke and a disco soon.
“We don’t just want the bar to be for young people or old people, we want it to be for everybody.”
The bar hopes to cater for all tastes with the drinks on offer.
“We’re doing real ales, spirits and gins. I’m quite a fan of gins so offering that is important!
“We do quite a few vodkas also. We hope to extend our wine list over the coming months.
“The main drinks we have going through the pumps is Shed Head, which is a pale ale, Poretti, Sam Miguel and Somersby Cider.”
Mr Charles said the new redevelopment plans for Carlton Square by Gedling Borough Council should help boost trade.
Changes planned include a new entrance to the car park from Burton Road.
There will also be a new car parking layout including identified spaces for electric vehicle points and improved disabled parking spaces in the southern car park.
New planting and boundary treatments will be added along with new paving and improved access between the car park and shopping area.
There will be a revised siting of payment machines and lighting too.
Mr Charles said:”The improvements can’t come soon enough.
“The council’s plans are what drew us to Carlton Square.
“When the work is completed it’s going to look really good and it was one of the main factors in us opening up here.”
Steve’s Bar officially opens on Saturday, June 26, but the opening night is fully booked.
You can find more details about the new venue at their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Steves.Bar.Carlton.Nottingham
But what about the Real Ale’s?
Typo: It’s San Miguel.
Hi Colin, I have a delivery of real ales arriving in Wednsday.
I love a pint of Sam Miguel