Media
Chester entertainment venue opens next month
14:29, Jan 11 2011
Source: http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk
A COMEDY club seating hundreds of people is opening in Chester next month.
Work is progressing to convert the former Deva Show Bar in Station Road, near the railway station, into a Las Vegas-style club.
John Locke and Dave Coughlin, partners in The Commercial Hotel, are behind the live entertainment venture The Laugh Inn, which will also feature music, cabaret, burlesque and performance poetry.
The main theatre, with auditorium and mezzanine balcony above, will seat up to 450 people and Homer’s lounge bar will comfortably fit up to 150 people.
Homer’s Bar will be open seven days a week from midday until late. Comedy will be presented in the theatre every Thursday to Saturday, and in Homers bar every Sunday.
Vegas style cabaret bar to open in Chester
A VEGAS-STYLE show bar is opening in Chester early in the new year featuring comedy, music and poetry.
John Locke and Dave Coughlin, partners in The Commercial Hotel, are behind the venture which will be based in the former Deva Show Bar in Station Road, near the railway station.
In a former life John was marketing manager for Manchester’s Comedy Store and set up the North West Comedy Awards.
As a result, he is well connected in the comedy world and has had dealings with the likes of Alan Carr, Russell Brand, Johnny Vegas, Jason Manford, John Thomson and the late Frank Sidebottom.
That doesn’t mean Chester will be able to attract such household names all the time but John promises we will be treated to the ‘stars of tomorrow’.
The venue, to be called The Laugh Inn, will be divided into a studio space and bar for 150 with the main auditorium seating 220 on the ground floor and about 160 on a mezzanine balcony above.
John, who is close friends with Paddy McGuiness and several actors from Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights, said: “It’s a comedy theatre, effectively a modern cabaret bar with comedy at its core but we will also be doing music and poetry. It will be a multi-functional venue.”
John, who already runs a successful comedy night at The Commercial, says there is talk of running Bollywood Sundays and burlesque evenings.
Although the venue is just out of the city centre he believes its location near residential areas and the railway station means it could attract people from near and far. Plans for a multi-storey car park opposite should also be beneficial.
John plans to run a five-day comedy festival in Chester in June.
Historic Chester inn aims to be city centre’s next cool venue
A WELL known Chester inn is reopening as a boutique hotel, bar and restaurant.
The Commercial Hotel in St Peter’s Square, behind The Cross, closed for a refurbishment almost four years ago but successive business plans failed to materialise.
Now workmen are putting the finishing touches to the interior with the downstairs bars opening this weekend.
Behind the venture are former Chester DJ John Locke and David Coughlin, partners in The Northern bar in Manchester, plus Martin Ellis of Chester’s City Bar.
The business owners hope the relatively hidden, almost secret nature of the location, could become its selling point.
John, who hopes the venue will be “inclusive” to customers of all ages and backgrounds, said: “We want this to be the worst kept secret in Chester!”
Owned by the gentleman-only Chester City Club, located opposite, the grade II listed Georgian building dates from the early 1800s.
A single storey extension into what was the Forrest recruitment office will accommodate the main bar selling beers, wines and cocktails plus bar food.
A middle room will house a DJ at weekends while the original bar, where the interior is listed, will sell real ales and whisky.
In the new year, work will be completed on an upstairs A la Carte restaurant cum function room where occasional comedy nights may be held. There will also be four hotel rooms and one suite.
Outdoor drinking is likely to prove popular in the courtyard during the summer months.
Thomas Harrison, architect of Chester Castle, built The Commercial Hotel at the same time as his Commercial Newsrooms.
Paddy McGuinness is VIP guest at relaunch of Chester’s Commercial Hotel
Feb 4 2010 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle
Paddy McGuinness is VIP guest at relaunch of Chester’s Commercial Hotel
TAKE ME OUT TV host Paddy McGuinness was taken out in style at the launch night of Chester’s revamped Commercial Hotel.
Paddy, best known as Peter Kay’s side-kick in Phoenix Nights, was the guest of director John Locke, former marketing manager for Manchester’s Comedy Store, at the St Peter’s Square venue, behind The Cross.
Other VIP guests were fellow Phoenix Nights stars Justin Moorhouse and Steve Edge, who has also appeared in Peep Show and satirical magazine show Star Stories. Coronation Street’s Michelle Keegan, who plays Tina, added a touch of glamour.
In the spring, The Commercial , a Grade II-listed Georgian building from the early 1800s, will accommodate a new upstairs restaurant plus four hotel rooms and a suite – which has already been booked by Paddy McGuinness for the May race meeting.
From the middle of February comedy nights will be held every Tuesday.
Other investors in the venture are David Coughlin, John Locke’s business partner at The Northern bar in Manchester, along with Martin Ellis of Chester’s City Bar. Manager is Rebecca Davies.
Chester Memories: Historic Chester inn aims to be next cool venue
A CHESTER inn is reopening as a boutique hotel, bar and restaurant.
The Commercial Hotel in St Peter's Square, behind The Cross, closed for a refurbishment almost four years ago but successive business plans failed to materialise.
Now workmen are putting the finishing touches to the interior with the downstairs bars opening this weekend.
Behind the venture are former Chester DJ John Locke and David Coughlin, partners in The Northern bar in Manchester, plus Martin Ellis of Chester's City Bar.
The business owners hope the relatively hidden, almost secret nature of the location, could become its selling point.
John, who hopes the venue will be 'inclusive' to customers of all ages and backgrounds, said: "We want this to be the worst kept secret in Chester!"
Owned by the gentlemen-only Chester City Club, located opposite, the Grade II listed Georgian building dates from the early 1800s.
A single-storey extension into what was the Forrest recruitment office will accommodate the main bar selling beers, wines and cocktails plus bar food.
A middle room will house a DJ at weekends while the original bar, where the interior is listed, will sell real ales and whisky.
In the new year, work will be completed on an upstairs a la carte restaurant cum function room where occasional comedy nights may be held. There will also be four hotel rooms and one suite.
Outdoor drinking is likely to prove popular in the courtyard during the summer months.
Thomas Harrison, architect of Chester Castle, built The Commercial Hotel at the same time as his Commercial Newsrooms in front - this evolved into Chester City Club.
Pictured relaunching the Commercial Hotel are Martin Ellis, Becky Davies, and Dave Coughlin outside the premises in preparation for their opening weekend.
"Coming soon - David Coughlin's thoughts on how "Buy to let landlords are at risk of missing out on positive investments by rejecting Local Housing Allowance (LHA) tenants" will be appearing in The Liverpool Echo on Saturday 30th October"
David Coughlin in latest Telegraph "Buy To Let"
David Coughlin in the latest Residential Property Investor - "From apprentice to master"
David Coughlin in the latest issue of Homes & Lifetsyle Magazine, discussing How To Become A Student Landlord
Monday 9th August - David Coughlin in Nottingham Evening Post discussing How To Become A Student Landlord
"David Coughlin will be appearing in the September issue of Residential Property Investor Magazine"
Maz Saleem Salford City Radio
Director and Co-Founder of HBF Investments.