TV star unveils new Barrowford pub

7:00pm Wednesday 22nd October 2008

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EAST Lancashire TV star Jody Latham is enlisting the help of some celebrity friends in a bid to breathe new life into a village pub.

Jody, who is best known for playing Philip ‘Lip’ Gallagher in award-winning Channel 4 show Shameless, teamed-up with lifelong friend and property developer Simon Graham to take control of the Victoria Hotel, Gisburn road, Barrowford, six months ago.

The pair are now hoping to combine their different areas of expertise in the hope of making the pub one of East Lancashire’s hottest attractions.

With prospective licensee Simon busy overseeing building work and refurbishments at the detached property, Jody has used his show-business connections to persuade acts, including Reverend and the Makers and Happy Mondays dancer Bez, to perform at the venue in the near future.

The two friends, who both comel from Barrowford, plan to set-up a contemporary bar and restaurant with competitive prices and a variety of live entertainment.

They plan to call it Jacks in honour of Simon’s late grandfather and Jody’s seven-year-old son.

As well as other musical acts that include Manchester band Kid British, who are tipped for a bright future, the pair plan to host charity events in aid of local foundations, leisure establishments, schools and colleges.

Jody said: “We’re aiming to bring a little bit of the city to Barrowford.

"We’re really fortunate because it is a vibrant village, with some great boutiques, shops and pubs and we’d like to contribute to that.”

And Jody said other chart-topping bands such as The Zutons and The Charlatans could also appear at the bar.

Simon, 25, has been involved in the building trade since leaving school and Jody, also 25 has been acting professionally for a decade, but the pair have known each other much longer.

Jody said it has been ‘really easy’ working together on the project.

"We get on incredibly well. I’m not the easiest person to work with but we share the same tastes in everything, so it’s really exciting.”

Punch Taverns, which owns the establishment is asking for permission to sell alcohol from 9am until 4am the following morning, on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The company is also seeking a 9am start on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays with an option to open until 1.30am the next day.

The aim is to open Jacks by the end of November.