A NEW gin bar has opened in a rural village.

The H20 bar, on Accrington Road, Whalley, which first opened on the same night as December's Whalley Pickwick Festival, is the latest pub to open its doors in the expanding 'night time economy' of the village.

The gin bar, which cost £50,000 to refurbish and is looking to fill five jobs, has opened on the site of a former retail unit next to the Swan Hotel, on King Street.

Co-owners Mark Eggar, 42, and Karrie Ashworth, 32, who both recently moved to Slaidburn, also run a nightclub in Darwen, on Market Street.

The new bar, which is open every day of the week from 3pm to 2.30am, except on Thursdays when it opens from 6pm, includes three big seating booths as well as stalls and tables.

The bar sells a variety of drinks including house gins for £3.90, premium gins and tonics and flavoured vodkas, including the mixer, for £5.

Karrie, who started her career at the age of 15 working as a glass collector, said: "We try to cater for everyone in Whalley but our bar is going more down the gin line.

"We decided to come to Whalley because it's a much nicer clientele than the rest of East Lancashire and we're hoping to open up another site in Clitheroe.

"Mark and I received some negative comments when we first moved with some people saying it was just a bar for kids.

"They had done their homework and seen our Darwen site and were concerned it would be the same as that.

"Darwen is a real late night outing for the kids and that's not what we are here.

"Our Whalley bar is a good friendly atmosphere and a relaxed setting with some nice background music too.

"We also have a lot of gins where as Darwen only has three gin and are the only bar to sell Peroni on draft in the village."

The owners said locals who were initially concerned about a new bar in Whalley quickly changed their minds.

Cllr Terry Hill, who represents the area, said: "Initially there was concern about yet another late night bar in Whalley but I have not heard anything since.

"I do not see a problem provided that people behave themselves."

Cllr Joyce Holgate, who also represents the area, said: "There was tremendous opposition to it but it seems to have settled down and does not seem to be causing a problem.

"I spoke to one person that has been in it and said it was very quiet.

"It's getting very busy at night times in the village and there seem to be more people visiting Whalley at night time than in the day."