A NEW venue bringing “epic food, creative cocktails and great times” is set to open next month in Leigh.

Bellini Bar and Brasserie, on London Road, has been closed and is currently undergoing a significant revamp before it reopens as The Oakleigh.

Bellini’s has been a popular late night venue for years. Known as a “party-bar” serving cocktails and comfort food as well as having DJs on weekends.

Construction work is currently underway on the site, and the owners are hoping to relaunch during April, with adverts now out for new kitchen and bar staff.

Minor changes are being made to the exterior of the site, as well as a complete revamp and makeover of the inside.

Ward councillor, Bernard Arscott expects the venue to continue as a popular late night location as Bellini’s had been before.

He said: “I know the site has been closed and they have had planning permission approved for some minor alterations to the outside, although I did not know about the name change.

“You also have The Elms pub on the same road, which is your Wetherspoon type pub, but that site has always attracted a slightly different clientele.

“Not in a bad way of course, but it was more of a late night venue, and you need that of course.

“It was always popular, in a good location, and is actually quite an attractive building so it is good it is remaining as a night venue.

“I know as a location, there were some complaints over noise disturbance in the past, but I have certainly not heard that since it became Bellini’s, and not in my time as a councillor. I hope The Oakleigh continues in that vein, and proves to be a fruitful business in the future, as well as an asset to the area.”

The site has a long history of successful businesses.

The London Road site homed the hugely popular TGF Churchills, before the restaurant, bar and club moved to Southend to continue its success until closure in 2014.

Prior to that, it was used as a clubhouse for the Westcliff Rugby Club before gaining pub status when Churchills opened.

After Churchills closed, Bellini’s opened on the site.

The new venue, The Oakleigh, is being managed by the same company as Bellini’s, the McManus Pub Company, which also runs Mariners Court, on Leigh Broadway opposite the Grand Hotel.

The pub was initially granted planning permission for minor work, including changing the ridge height of the roof over the front extension, in July 2016, adding other conditions in January 2017, before work initially begun in January this year.