AN EAST Lancashire barman is looking to turn Blackburn’s night life around when he opens a new town centre bar on Sunday (Aug 12).

Andy Walker, 27, has got high hopes for Baroque, which he plans will provide a safe and friendly atmosphere to have a good night out.

The bar, located in Northgate, has been closed for the past 12 months, but will reopen with a special VIP celebration to draw in some new business.

Andy, who also works in the travel industry, has been involved in running pubs since he was 18. He got his landlord’s license when he was 19, which is unusually young.

Baroque is now owned by Alan Brownridgen and Paula Baxter of P&A Ltd and Andy will be running the pub, which will be open seven days a week.

Andy, who has also helped to transform pubs in Chorley and Preston, said he had been carrying out some market research to find out what people in Blackburn wanted.

He said: “It is going to be really nice, we have gone for a casual look and have pictures of the local area around the pub.

“I think Blackburn needs a bit of life sprucing back into it.

“I want to make this work, make it profitable and make it a good place to go for a night out.”

Andy said he was hoping to work in partnership with other bars and clubs to provide students nights, which he hoped would rejuvinate the town centre.

He said: “I want to turn the nightlife in Blackburn around.

“All you see is pubs shutting down these days, but I want there to be something good in the town.

“It is about creating something that that we don’t not really get in Blackburn, the town just needs something different.”