Town-centre venue to become Irish bar with live music and late weekend opening
The five-storey building on Skinnergate that has housed the Number One Bar & Coffee House since 2016 will be relaunched as Grace Kelly’s Irish Bar later this year, its new owners have confirmed.
The premises, a Grade II listed former Lloyds Bank, was sold earlier this year for an undisclosed sum and has been snapped up by the D&J Pub Group, which says the venue will follow the atmosphere of established city-style Irish bars and feature daily live music and late opening on weekends.
Number One will continue to operate under its current name until 1 September, after which the group plans a major refurbishment before opening Grace Kelly’s in late September to early October. In recent months Number One had been operating limited hours, opening late only on Fridays and Saturdays.
“Grace Kelly’s Irish Bar is scheduled to open in late September to early October and will bring with it all the atmosphere of bars like the Dubliner and the very popular Katie O’Briens.”
History of the building and local context
The building was converted into Number One in 2016 following a full refurbishment of the former bank, which had stood empty for years before that conversion. At the time of marketing last October, the freehold and business were offered with an asking price of £699,000.
Previous owners, brothers David and Paul Pearson, who also run local fitness chain OneGym and other commercial property in the town, put the business on the market citing other business commitments. They said they hoped Number One had enhanced nights out in the town over the nine years they ran it.
What residents and visitors can expect
The new operator has said it will introduce a format inspired by well-known Irish bars, with live music programmed every day and extended weekend opening times. The five-storey building comprises approximately 597 square metres of trading space, according to agent Christie & Co.
- Current trading name: Number One Bar & Coffee House (open until 1 September)
- New name: Grace Kelly’s Irish Bar (due late September–early October)
- Owners: D&J Pub Group (new); David and Paul Pearson (previous)
- Building size: approximately 597 sqm
- Listed status: Grade II
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Former use | Lloyds Bank |
| Converted to Number One | 2016 |
| Marketing price (when on sale) | £699,000 (October) |
| Trading space | Approximately 597 sqm |
The new venue will add to Darlington’s evening economy at a time when town-centre hospitality operators are under close watch by residents and traders alike. The introduction of a themed Irish bar with daily live music is likely to attract both local regulars and visitors from the wider region, but it will also require careful management of noise and late-night activity in a central and historic part of the town.
For communities who use Skinnergate and the nearby retail and leisure offer, the relaunch represents both continuity and change: continuity in that the building will remain an entertainment venue rather than returning to long-term vacancy, and change in the likely shift in programming, operating hours and the operator’s brand.
The Pearsons said at the point of sale that other ventures, particularly OneGym and other commercial properties, were demanding more of their time. The D&J Pub Group have signalled their intention to invest in a significant refurbishment and a new trading model later this year.
Local customers can expect Number One to operate as usual up to and including 1 September, with further details about the relaunch and programming for Grace Kelly’s expected to be announced by the new owners ahead of the planned opening.
