Grand opening for totally transformed popular bar
A POPULAR Carmarthen bar which has doubled in size has had its grand opening.
Notts, located on Notts Square in the centre of Carmarthen, opened its doors to the public after an investment of more than £100,000 saw the nightspot totally transformed.
The building next door, which used to be a bank, has been taken over and the adjoining wall knocked through to create one huge space.
The bar now boasts three bars over two floors as well as a DJ booth, a sprawling dance floor, and the ability to host around five times as many people as it did before.
The plan to expand is something which has been in the pipeline for a while, according to owner Steven Cogan.
“We decided we wanted to expand about a year ago,” said Steven.
“But it’s something that’s always been in my mind since we opened three years ago. It’s always been my ambition to expand the place.”
Carmarthen, once wellknown for the sheer number of pubs and clubs in the town, seems to be making something of a comeback in terms of its nightlife. New and trendy cocktail bars have become the norm, offering people more sophisticated drinking haunts. Pictures: Adrian White
Steven says that Notts will offer something different which he believes has been missing from the town.
“The cocktail bars have more of a relaxed atmosphere and they’ve all done a great job for the town but we want something different. We want to bring the party back to Carmarthen where people can dance and listen to a live DJ.
“When people go out they want to let their hair down. People go out to have some fun and Carmarthen really needed this kind of place.
“There’s definitely been a gap in the market so I don’t see this as competing with the new bars in town – I see it more as competing with places in Haverfordwest and Swansea.
“And it’s good to have competition in town anyway. If there’s only a couple of places to go nobody comes out. The more options people have the more of a buzz there is in the town so it benefits everyone. I strongly believe that this kind of place has been missing from Carmarthen.”
Steven knows what he is talking about. At only 32 he has already run a nightclub in Carmarthen (The Waterside, which closed in 2009) and he had his own club in Majorca.
He is now hoping to bring a touch of that spirit to Notts, with a licence to remain open until 4am and three bars that will all stock beers, premium spirits, cocktails and more.
“We want to cater for everyone,” said Steven.
“There is a need for this place – people have grown up here without a club like this. Gone are the days of the ‘superclubs’ like we used to see when I was younger but this, now we’ve expanded, is the ideal size for a club.
“The idea is to attract people here for a great night out and to bring Carmarthen’s nightlife into the 21st Century.”