Legendary Kendal live music venue Bootleggers will reopen including new cafe and restaurant

A legendary bar and music venue will reopen in Kendal having expanded to include a cafe and restaurant.

Bootleggers, which will host a range of local and UK and international touring bands, will also house a 150-seat café and restaurant serving tapas small plate food with a Mediterranean theme.

Westmorland Group, which also runs the Ye Olde Fleece Inn, The Gateway Inn and The Duke of Cumberland in Kendal, is operating the venue, which it is leasing from Charles Scott and Patrick Brennand.

“Bootleggers is a great asset for Kendal which has been seriously missed since it closed in 2020,” said Westmorland Group director Josh Macaulay.

“It is important that we keep the same vibe and culture because Bootleggers was a fantastic place that holds an important place in many people’s memories and we want to ensure we carry that legacy forward in everything we do.”

He explained the building everyone remembered as Bootleggers was still there but Westmorland Group had acquired 13 Market Place, next to the Skipton Building Society, which backs on to the old Bootleggers.

“We have knocked the wall down so it is now all one building," said Mr Macaulay.

"That means there is a proper street-facing entrance to Bootleggers in Market Place in the centre of town."

The original Bootleggers featured a snug area, bar and stage and a first-floor balcony with views of the stage. All those remain but they have been refurbished as part of a £700,000 renovation project, using local tradespeople, by Westmorland Group.

“We have sandblasted the walls, renewed the woodwork and installed new electrics and plumbing,” said Mr Macaulay.

“The stage has been upgraded so it is a bit higher, which will improve the views for everyone and give a more theatrical feel.

“We have installed £150,000 worth of high-tech sound and lighting equipment which puts us on the same level as major UK music venues. We have also added a new green room for band.

“We have knocked into 13 Market Place to create a new bar and café and restaurant dining area. This will serve tapas small plate food with Spanish, Italian and French influences to bring the best of Mediterranean cuisine to Kendal.

“We already have some great restaurants in the town, from amazing Italian food at Sapore, fantastic Mexican food at Pedro’s Casa and excellent Thai food at Bangkok 7. We believe the cuisine at Bootleggers will complement the lively evening food offering already in town.”

The head chef at Bootleggers is Richard Hall, who has worked as an international chef on cruise liners and at high-end chalets in the Alps and until recently was a senior manager at an award-winning tapas and Mediterranean restaurant in Manchester. The manager at Bootleggers is Callan Hackett.

The venture has created about 30 new jobs, a mixture of full- and part-time posts, including the kitchen team, front of house and management staff, sound and lighting technicians and security staff.

The bar will serve a range of local ales and craft beers. The restaurant can also be hired for functions and there is a VIP area with a balcony from which private groups can view the stage.

Bootleggers has a pre-opening night on Friday, September 27 with Abba tribute band Voulez Vous, while pop and rock band OTT will perform at the official opening night on Saturday, September 28.

Forthcoming shows include rock band Brave Rival on November 27 and Elio Pace on November 29.

Bootleggers will open seven days a week, from 11am-11pm Sunday to Thursday and from 11am-2am on Friday and Saturday. There will be live music on Friday and Saturday nights and on Sunday afternoons, with occasional shows from touring bands on weekday nights.

Mr Macaulay added: “I remember going to Bootleggers in the past and it was fantastic. It had an amazing atmosphere and the thing that was always special was everyone felt welcome. It had a mixture of young people in their 20s and retired people in their 60s and everything in between and everyone felt comfortable.

“I think live music brings together a wide spectrum of people with a shared common passion and we aim to replicate that atmosphere going forward.

“I hope the community gets behind Bootleggers and supports it because hospitality has had real challenges over recent years with things like high energy bills and we really want this to be a great asset for the town.”

He added: “We also want to pay tribute to the late Jonty Martindale who helped set up Bootleggers in 1998 and ran the venue for many years. We want to honour his legacy and carry it forward to the next generation.”

Tickets for the opening weekend music shows can be booked on the website www.bootleggerskendal.co.uk.

Entry to Voulez Vous is by pre-bought tickets only. Customers might be able to buy tickets on the night for OTT but they are highly likely to sell out in advance. All early bird tickets for both shows have already been sold.