A NEW bar is opening in Halesowen this weekend.

Talk of the Town will open at the former Swanky's on the High Street opposite St John's Church.

Work is being carried out to get the bar ready in time for its opening on Saturday (July 4) to coincide with the reopening of pubs across England since lockdown began in March.

New landlady Isabel Hampton is breathing new life into the venue which has been empty since before Christmas - by installing a stage and sprucing up the premises.

And she is looking for around five to seven bar and front of house staff.

Isabel, who is opening the bar with a business partner, said: "I'm Halesowen born and bred.

"It will be a live music venue once Boris says that is allowed with local acts on stage.

"It's going to be a traditional bar - I'm putting my own touches to it at the moment.

"I'm really keen on getting involved with the community in Halesowen and working with Halesowen BID.

"I would like community groups to use the upstairs room.

"I also want to pick up on the Wednesday coffee mornings I used to hold at Picks.

"There will be a chatty table where people can sit if they want to talk to others - a bit like a chatty cafe.

"I want it to bring people into the town."

Halesowen News:

The bar will be operating Check and Trace - visitors will also be asked to give their name and their contact details.

Those details will be kept for 21 days, and will be used for staff to get in contact if there is a localised breakout of coronavirus.

Table service will be available or one person can be nominated from each group to be served at bar.

People will be allowed to gather at a social distance in groups of six - with a maximum of two households involved.

People will have to stand at least a metre apart from each other.

Talk of the Town will be open every day.