Hugely popular live music restaurant in Milton Keynes set to re-open after being closed for 487 days

The owners of local Milton Keynes live music restaurant are preparing to open on July 23 - and can't wait to see people dancing on the tables again!

The CMK venue's director Mark Henderson said his staff are "raring to go" and can't wait to welcome back the public.

"By the time we reopen on Friday 23rd July, we will have been closed for 487 days...Who’d have thought that when the pandemic first closed us

down in March 2020, we’d be shut for 16 months?"

Mark added: "It’s been tough…really tough actually - there’s been a lot of worrying about the future, whether we’d actually get the business back open again; a lot of frustration and tears, seeing other businesses being allowed to reopen, But, with a lot of hard work, positivity and perseverance, we are all ready to get things going again.”

Director of Bistro Live, Fred Harlow said: “The hardest part of the last 16 months has been not knowing when we would be allowed to reopen again, and dealing with all of the ‘false dawns’. When the pandemic first closed us down, we all thought it would be for a few weeks, maybe a

couple of months at the most. But as things got more serious, we realised that it might be a lot longer.

"We hoped we would be able to open up in time for Christmas 2020, but then came the November lock down, then we hoped to get open in early 2021, but we were locked down again, then it was ‘all systems go’ for June 2021, but then it was delayed for another month.

"All this leads to massive disruption – financially, operationally and mentally for everyone involved. We did look at trying to change the way we operated to achieve a limited form of opening as a more traditional restaurant but it soon became very clear that our customers wanted the Bistro Live they recognise and love – great food and an amazing party atmosphere – not to forget dancing on the tables!"

The bosses have been working really hard over the last few weeks to come up with some brand-new ideas, to make the new 2021 Bistro Live experience even better for customers.

"We can’t wait to show off some of our new ‘innovations’ – new lighting, new décor, new food menus and new cocktails – we’ve definitely had plenty of time to think of some different things and to get the venue ready for re-opening,” said Mark.

Mark Henderson added: “We’ve had so many positive comments from our customers saying “we can’t wait for you to reopen” and “we’ve missed our Bistro Live nights out”.

So, our message to all of our customers is – we’ve missed you too, and we’ve been empty for far too long, so get your groups together and get ready to eat, drink and dance on the tables again.

"We’re really looking forward to re-opening the business and doing what we do best – great food, great entertainment and a brilliant night out.”

For details on Bistro Live http://www.bistrolive.comor call 01908 231313.