The new owner of one of Chester’s best known music and comedy venues invites everyone to join him for a relaunch this Saturday evening (January 16).
Jamie Northrop has been working his barman’s fingers and toes off getting Alexander’s in Rufus Court ready for the grand re-opening at 5pm tomorrow following a £30,000 refurbishment.
Also helping out have been his mum Caroline, dad Mike and 19-year-old brother Jonny, together with contractors from Hawarden firm Aspect Woodworks, who recently revamped Marmalade on Northgate Street.
Mum even donated her vinyl record collection for wall displays, including the first record her beloved Jamie ever bought – Love Shack by the B52s.
New contemporary signage has been installed, there are upside down bottles, lots of light-coloured woodwork, a new bar and shiny washing machine drums as light shades.
The reopening also sees the launch of a brand new menu including Sunday roasts.
Jamie, 32, who bought the business from Rod Cox and Pauline Thompson, aims to strike a balance between retaining elements of the old Alexander’s while signalling a new era. This means the old Alexander’s stage mural has gone but has been handed over to Rod for safekeeping.
Jamie said: “I’m really, really excited. At the same time, yesterday was one of the longest days I have done and I was shattered.”
He added: “I’m so pleased. We’re keeping the same set up in terms of the locations of things but everything looks very different.”
The revamp with be in three stages with the toilets, already repainted and scrubbed, in line for a full make-over by the spring. Jamie is ‘not a fan’ of the loos in their current state but asks people to bear with him and promises ‘it is being addressed’.
Alexander’s has seen the likes of Duffy and Ed Sheeran grace its stage and Jamie is looking forward to the year ahead with ‘a great range of bookings’ already flooding in.
Saturday’s relaunch begins with a jamming session hosted by local artists. Then singer Ben Stafford will take to the stage before local soul band ‘It’s Soul Good’ get the party really going.
The re-launch is hosted by Capital FM whose new Breakfast show presenter Ben Sheppard will end the night with a DJ set of hits and old favourites.
Entry is free and ‘everybody is welcome’ to go along and celebrate the opening night with Jamie.
