RESTAURATEUR Jeremy Guest is hoping to make a success with his new venture — after buying it from his brother.

Mr Guest, who already owns three cafes in his own right in Oldham, Rochdale and Middleton, has opened Retreat in Chorley New Road after taking the former bar and restaurant complex known as Firefly bar, Mai Thai and Little Door off his brother Russell’s hands.

Their father Derek Guest owns Russell’s cafe in Bolton town centre.

Now the premises has been redesigned as a bar and grill known as Retreat.

Jeremy Guest and business partner Richard Hibbert bought the site from Russell Guest earlier this year.

Mr Hibbert has a background working for Mitchells and Butler and he will be responsible for managing the site on a day to day basis.

The two men have spent £200,000 to create a new restaurant and bar by remodelling the former bar and restaurants.

The new bar and grill, Retreat, has kept the bar and created a new open plan restaurant by combining the floor space occupied by the two previous restaurants.

Mr Guest used to be in partnership with his brother Russell and father until 10 years ago when the trio decided to go their own separate business ways.

He said: “I think Retreat is in a very good spot and as I live nearby in Lostock I knew it would be successful and I knew what I wanted to do with it.

“We stripped the place back to the basics and brought in a new chef, Edward Roma, to do the menu and since we opened business in the bar and restaurant has been very busy.

“On Friday and Saturdays the place is full and we have security on the door for peace of mind for everybody and we have a minimum age of 21 for the bar.

“We have changed the place and we now describe it as relaxed, casual and informal dining and the concept is working.

“We now have 74 covers in the restaurant and seating for a further 30 outside under heaters plus a few seats in the bar area.

“We are very happy with the place at the moment and we are reinvesting the money we are making back into the business.”

The restaurant serves food all day and the bar is open from 11am to 11pm Monday to Thursday and to midnight on Friday and Saturdays.