New wine bar offers a refreshing change

OLDHAM has a new wine bar — strictly for over-25s — with Champagne cocktails their signature drink.

Owners Nichola Collins and Winston Eastmond have invested more than £60,000 to transform one of the town centre’s perennial nightspots into a luxurious late-night bar where they hope more mature revellers will enjoy a relaxing ambience.

Brownz is in Yorkshire Street, next door to Mario’s Trattoria, and has had a number of guises over the years, the last as Kode, a brand which lasted only a few months.

Previously the bar was known as Niagra and before that Bergman’s.

Nichola (32), from Garden Suburb, and Winston (42), originally from Glodwick, are determined to maintain a smart dress only policy at Brownz, which opens on Fridays and Saturdays from 10pm until 4am.

They have plans to expand, and are considering live music nights on Thursdays, once they have become more established.

Says Nichola: “There is definitely a demand for this type of bar.

“Everyone who has been in has said they will come back and that’s a good sign.

“We are still very new and not too many people know about us yet. We deliberately opened away from all that hustle and bustle in the town centre at the top of Yorkshire Street . . . we want to get away from all that goes on up there.

“We have a VIP area where customers can sit and enjoy each other’s company and upstairs we have a an area where visitors can have a dance if they wish to boogie.

“The whole atmosphere is out to be mature with drinkers enjoying themselves in top surroundings.”

Winston added: “We are very strict about who comes into the bar.

“Smart dress is essential and we will start as we mean to carry on . . . creating a great atmosphere for those who want to party without all the nonsense.”