A BRAND-NEW live music venue is set to launch in Barrow town centre. 

The Townhouse’s LAB, which stands for Live Arts Basement, will kick off a series of scheduled gigs on Friday August 9 with sets from Jon Byrne and Robbie J Coplen. 

The following night will see Gumshoe and Silver Bars take to the stage. 

Gigs will be held on Friday and Saturday nights every two weeks. 

The intimate venue, which will hold around 70 people, boasts a bar and cosy seating areas and is the brainchild of Dan Payne who also supervises the Dalton Road venue’s restaurant. 

The 31-year-old, who is Barrow born-and-bred and lives in Ulverston, said: “I’ve been planning the line-up so that it gives local bands the opportunity to play alongside some of the more well-established and better-known bands.

“We have had a lot of interest from bands wanting to play but we are trying to do it in a way that gives local bands as much of an opportunity as we can.”

The development of the basement bar is the latest expansion for Lucidity Group which owns the Townhouse and the Dunes Hotel. 

Other dates in the LAB’s diary include the official warm-up party for Fudstock on August 23. 

August 24 will feature Mark Pratt and Kits, followed by Atomic Brass Band on September 6; Jack Hayes and Hayden J Barlow on September 7; a folk night featuring Paddy & Beak and Foragers on September 20; and King Eider and Paper Cranes on September 21. 

“We’ve scheduled two bands for each Friday and Saturday night every two weeks but there are plans to expand it in the future,” Mr Payne added.

“That gives us the chance to gauge the level of response from the public so we can tailor it to suit the audience.”