A NEW bar in Crewe aims to tap into the expanding market for the craft beer drinker - as well as lovers of artisan gins and fine wines.

A grand opening night is being planned for Ebenezer's on Nantwich Road, where business partners Lee Garner and Steve Shoebridge have spent recent weeks refurbishing the former premises of BeerDock.

They have installed a new bar, toilet facilities and a cellar, while an outside terrace has been built at the back of the building.

Lee has been running a similar drinks emporium in Nantwich for the past four years and says he has been motivated to expand to Crewe where discerning drinkers have been enjoying several venues for the craft market.

Lee said: "There's a really good beer scene in Crewe that has grown up over the years and the opportunity to go into the old BeerDock building, which was a big part of that, was something we really wanted to do.

"We want to bring more people into Crewe to enjoy craft beer. People can have a day out in Crewe and there's four or five venues now they can go - it will be a great scene."

But the bar owner added: "We also have a range of good gins and wines, we're not just about beer. We specialist in artisan gins and we source from independents."

When Lee set up in Castle Street in Nantwich in 2017, he utilised an attic space at the front of the Studio/former Gregory's nightclub, while the former 19th-century Methodist chapel provided the inspiration for Ebenezer's name.

But while heritage is an important feature of this bar business, investing in modern technology is important to the plan with a direct draw beer dispense system having been installed in the cellar.

"It keeps your beer really fresh and clean, the [beer] lines come straight through the cellar wall," outlined Lee, for whom the Nantwich business was his first foray into the trade.

"I learnt along the way, but I was a keen follower and lover of craft beers and I wanted to increase my knowledge of them [by starting up].

"We have 10 to 12 taps for beers and ciders and we've got a really good range of artisan gins. We are essentially copying the approach we've taken in Nantwich. It is a similar model to BeerDock too - and in fact we have some of their former staff working for us as well."

Lee and Steve are putting the final touches to the "new" Ebenezer's and all things being well the opening night will go ahead on August 26.

As well as introducing new customers to the delights of craft ales, the duo say they are looking forward to welcoming back those drinkers who used to frequent 159 Nantwich Road.

Catch up with Ebenezer's and some of the bar's fantastic range of beers, gins, wines and spirits at the Facebook page.