A NEW bar and club in Bradford is poised to open its doors next month.

Work has been underway since October last year to transform the former Perfect Home unit in the Kirkgate Shopping Centre into ‘The Rabbit Hole’.

Here's what you need to know about new Bradford bar The Rabbit Hole

The space, on the corner of Westgate and Godwin Street, had been empty for a year, but it’s hoped it will be given a new lease of life when the club is up and running. The doors will officially open on March 1.

The man behind the new club is Jason Avgousti, who owned Bentley’s Live Lounge on Godwin Street.

It was hoped The Rabbit Hole would be open in time for Christmas, but the scale of the work meant this was not possible.

Mr Avgousti said: “There was a lot of work that we needed to do in terms of construction, in terms of getting the type of image right.”

He added that it would be a work in progress and there are plans to open up the second floor in the future.

“I’m trying to bring something different to Bradford. My idea is keeping people in Bradford. Or even bringing people from Leeds, Halifax, Huddersfield, back to Bradford, that’s the whole point of it, then I’m hoping it triggers on.”

The vision is for the club to be a place people can go when other bars close for the night.

“I could have done this in Leeds, but there’s so many in Leeds,” he said.

“I want to make a change, or try to start something where it triggers something where there’s other bars and other clubs. For me, it’s not just about this place. There’s work going on, there’s a new market opening up on Darley Street and there’s quite a few new bars on Ivegate as well, so that’s going to help.

“I don’t look at it as it’s just me, it’s part of a cog that’s trying to get Bradford back in motion. If it works, then it benefits everybody.”

He added: “The location of this is absolutely perfect. It will link up North Parade, Sunbridge Wells, so it’s just the centre of everything and it’s right on the corner.”

As well as a range of drinks on tap, Mr Avgousti said there’ll be “cocktails, music, a friendly atmosphere and really good music, good DJs”.

He added: “It’s giving people a bit of escapism from work, where they think ‘ok, let’s go have a bit of fun, somewhere that looks a little bit different’.We’ve done our absolute best to try build something good for Bradford, or good for everybody, and I just hope they like it at the end of it.”

Mr Avgousti thanked those who have helped in the renovation.