A NEW dawn is on the horizon for Cleethorpes' After Dark as plans to transform it into the number one premier night club are unveiled.
The club will close in the new year and reopen with a new look and a new name after it was taken over by Bootlegger's operators, Leisure 99 Ltd.
The Wakefield-based firm operates seven bars in the region and after finding success at the Bootlegger in 2011, they hope to give After Dark the same treatment.
Managing director Gavin Richards said: "We looked at the location and layout and saw this club as the main late-night club location in the town.
"But we don't feel the previous tenant has been trading it that way.
"We are going to do everything we can to rebrand the venue and give Cleethorpes the prime night club that it deserves."
Leisure 99 took over the club from Leopard Taverns Ltd who took on the bar last year, creating 40 jobs.
The venue has a history of being one of the main contenders for clubbing hot-spots and was once home to Clouds, Park Lane, Silhouettes and Legends.
Mr Richards – who gave the Bootlegger a £75,000 makeover – is confident the new After Dark will remain open for longer than its predecessors.
But they were originally facing a Licensing Committee hearing when news of the takeover reached Humberside Police.
Leisure 99 applied for a direct transfer of the licence but it was objected to by licensing officers until conditions such as having trained door staff and plastic glasses were met by Mr Richards and his team.
The objection was quickly withdrawn after the firm "wholeheartedly" accepted the conditions for the licence – which they describe as "standard practice" for all their bars anyway.
Mr Richards added: "We operate in a very different way to the old owners. We have a different style but all the foundations are there at After Dark.
"Our plan is to get through Christmas and then in February close the venue down, give it a complete refurb and change the name.
"It will be pretty similar to what we did at Bootlegger apart from the fact we didn't change Bootlegger's name.
"The population of Cleethorpes loved the Bootlegger, even though it clearly needed investment.
"We kept the name because everybody loved the name and the name still had a good reputation.
"When we were looking at After Dark and its recent trading history, we knew if we were to do a refurbishment, it would also have a name change.
"We have got to know Cleethorpes through trading there.
"It is a great place and we want to be involved in it more.
"When the opportunity came up to purchase the lease of After Dark we knew we had to go for it.
"We knew its trade and what it had to offer and felt it would fit into our portfolio."