Welshpool's newest venue will be hoping to hit the right notes when it opens for the first time on Saturday, August 7 - with owners promising the town's music fans something "completely different".

Business partners Larry Bowyer and Rob Burr say '1898', on Broad Street, will offer a unique mid Wales music destination, and the pair say some big name acts are lined up to visit North Powys later this year.

After a successful career running venues in Kent, former nightclub owner Larry has now joined forces with friend and business partner Rob Burr, a promoter from the south of England - and now the self-styled 'Cockney boys' are hoping their new venture will bring something unique to Welshpool's nightlife scene.

"I retired and moved up here four years ago. I sold up and bought somewhere with a bit of land nearby," added Larry.

"Rob came up and stayed with us, looked at the lovely views, and soon enough he was up here too - but then we both thought: 'now what?'"

The result was the purchase and refurbishment of the former Signatures club on Broad Street, with the finishing touches now being put on to the two floor music venue ahead of a grand opening event on Saturday.

And now the pair are set to bring their joint experience to bear on the project with Larry's experience in the nightclub business combining with Rob's talent and connections as a promoter to bring big name talent to mid Wales.

The business is expected to create around 20 jobs.

"We're trying to do something completely new, something Welshpool's not seen before," said Larry.

"The place had been empty for 8 years when we got here, there were watermarks all up the walls, all sorts. But we've invested money, our own money, into getting the place up and running and it's completely different now.

"We've got some big names lined up but we're hoping to give local bands a chance too so if you're out there we want to hear from you,"

The new development features a large main room music venue while upstairs "Studio 38" will feature a separate 'party bar' and cocktail bar, and has brought the former Conservative club in Broad Street back into use following a full refurbishment.

However opening a new venue while the country was in the midst of a pandemic has not been an easy task, and promoter Rob says the inconsistency between Wales' lockdown rules and those in England have meant bookings have been challenging.

"It's been difficult, I won't say it's been impossible and we're getting it done but it's been hard going due to the different lockdown rules," said Rob.

"Venues in England are four weeks ahead of us and they're booking up acts in the meantime. Even for stuff like New Years we've had to say 'Look, we just don't know' up until recently."

The bar opens on Saturday, August 7 when headline act Snowboy brings his Afro-Cuban and Jazz rhythms to the stage in 1898.

Tickets are available online from https://1898group.co.uk/