A BRADFORD bar owner is hoping to bring the 'wow factor' to the city centre with his new venture.

Jason Avgousti, who owned Bentley's Live Lounge on Westgate, which closed its doors back in August to make way for the new TJ Hughes store, is gearing up to open a new bar and eatery in the former Perfect Home unit just a few doors down on the corner of Westgate and Godwin Street.

The space had been empty for a year and the prospect of it being brought back into use was welcomed when the plans were revealed.

It's now hoped the new bar, which will be called the Rabbit Hole and create around 15 to 16 jobs to begin with, will help to bring a boost to the city.

Mr Avgousti, 44, said: "It's not just for Bradfordians, initially it is, but it's about getting people into Bradford from the likes of Huddersfield, Halifax,Wakefield, Leeds, because they are going to spend a lot of money as well.

"We've got to be competitive around Yorkshire, and we used to be, so it's about getting people to stay in Bradford, wanting to come back to Bradford and say 'look, Bradford has got an amazing nightlife, just like it used to have'.

"That's a major factor for me for wanting to do it in Bradford, as opposed to doing it in Leeds, where it's already done."

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He added: "I'm from Bradford as well, which is a major pull for me, but the idea of this is giving people, when they want to go shopping, an experience through the day so it links up with Kirkgate Shopping Centre and it will link up with Darley Street, Sunbridgewells.

"If I can create something in terms of 'we can go for something to eat there, we can have a drink, we can go shopping', then brilliant.

"The whole city should have a 'wow' effect, it should be an experience for people to want to come to the city and shop."

Mr Avgousti revealed plans to serve street food and fancy cocktails, aiming the space at shoppers through the day but creating a club atmosphere later in the evening.

"You've got to be optimistic," he said."Without a risk, there's no gain, but it's not just the gain for myself, it's the gain for Bradford and I'd get more of a kick out of this if I thought 'yes, we've made something brilliant for Bradford'."

The first two floors of the unit will be developed to begin with, but there's further floors with potential for future development.

It's hoped the bar will open its doors in time for Christmas.