Four cheers for new Wigan bars

But there is still very much a market for liquor, even if the scene is changing.

Wigan is very much at the heart of this at the end of a year which has seen the opening of several new bars, mostly falling into the “upper-market” category, plus premises offering a more sophisticated range of alcoholic drinks than your average off-licence.

One new arrival in Wigan town centre is Hideout, the latest inhabitant of the railway arches on Queen Street and a neighbour to the hugely successful Wigan Central bar.

It is a modern cafe-bar specialising in quality wines and gins taking plenty of cues from popular spots to while away an afternoon in Liverpool or Manchester.

It is the brainchild of Steven Molloy and his wife Abbie along with Paul Basnett and his wife Vicky.

The two businessmen have a decade’s experience in retail and opening a venue like Hideout has been a long-term ambition.

Keeping it local is an important motto and Steven and his team have sourced Lancashire, North West and English products wherever possible, even down to including some of this country’s wines on the extensive menu.

He said: “We enjoy going to places in Liverpool and Manchester for the cafe-bar scene there.

“It’s really popular having somewhere you can enjoy good-quality coffee and cake which then remains open into the evening selling alcohol.

“We felt there wasn’t really anything like that in Wigan and we wanted to bring it to the town so you don’t have to get on a train.”

A short walk from there takes visitors to another newly-opened premises on Hallgate: Relish.

This is the creation of Tracey Stevens, a Wigan-born business owner who has spent years working in London gastropubs.

Having returned to her home borough following considerable travelling experience she hopes to tempt Wiganers to enjoy a selection of grape-based delights accompanied by cheeses and relishes.

She has certainly picked a building with a reputation for bringing something different to Wigan as Relish is in the unit previously occupied by plant-based restaurant The Coven before it decamped to The Old Courts.

Tracey said: “After leaving London I taught for about 15 years but my passion has always been in food and drink, so it’s exciting to go back and do that again.

“Relish is something different and I think it’s about time Wigan got something like this.

“There hasn’t been a wine bar in the town centre for a long time. There’s a lot of gin bars and real ale places but nothing really promoting wine.

“The feedback so far has been very positive, we just need to get numbers through the door now.

“It’s quite a rustic French feel and we want it to be very homely and welcoming.”

One of the reasons cited for the rapid closure of many traditional pubs is the growing trend for home drinking.

Mark Norris is hoping eventually to have a foot in both camps if he can open a cafe-bar annexe to his new wine emporium called Poets Corner in Swinley which also sells all manner of speciality gins and beers.

Mr Norris, who has previously been in charge at the likes of Ashfield House in Standish, the Hind’s Head in Wrightington and Shaw Hill at Chorley, is very clear on what sort of place Poets Corner will be.

He said: “We are not and never will be a bar. We won’t be open late so there isn’t going to be late-night revelry.

“The idea is you come in for something to eat, have a glass of wine and can then take the bottle home.

“This is a very nice part of Wigan with lots of well-kept properties around. It’s turning into a bit of a destination area with Forbes on the Lane opening at the Bel Air, Lily and Arthur’s and Sherrington’s.”

But in case visitors to Wigan were thinking that previous incarnations of hostelries had had their day, pub giant Marston’s has thrown the doors of the popular boozer The Poacher in Winstanley open once more with a venue for Wiganers to eat and drink.

The company has spent a quarter of a million pounds on the new-look pub on Holmes House Avenue and is hoping to draw in residents with fresh, locally-sourced food seven days a week.

Retired member of staff Mary Edwards, who pulled pints there for 31 years, did the honours before everyone saw what has been done to the pub, which has a distinctive look with wooden clapboards covering the entire upper storey.

The menu will contain plenty of tried-and-tested old favourites like pizzas, burgers and steaks, but there will also be other options for health-conscious Wiganers with plenty of lower-calorie meals on offer.

Not that the beer has been forgotten in all of this. With Marston’s impressive roster of breweries a revolving selection of tasty traditional bitters, golden ales and IPAs should more or less be guaranteed.