AN entrepreneur is aiming to breathe life back into an empty town centre unit by opening a new smoke house and wine bar.

Chris Howell plans to invest a five-figure sum in the Bavarian Smoke House restaurant and wine bar open on Bridge Street, at empty units beneath the Chinese Buffet.

The 25-year-old from Thatto Heath aims to open by November and employ more thna 50 people.

He told the Star: "We will be knocking through so there will be 597 square metres of space which is quite big. It is a big investment and there have been ten months of negotiations. I'm directing at plus 25s ideally and families during the day.

"We will also be doing things like comedy nights and will also have a Monday movie night."

Chris, who has also had business ventures in Cyprus and is the owner of Special Ops paintballing on Borough Road, said: "If you are above 21 or 22 there is pretty much next to nothing in terms of high end restaurants. The smoke house would be doing something to be proud of. And I am trying to keep as much of it local supply as possible.

"Overall I want to bring something diverse to St Helens. When people come here I want them to stay. I want to attract people from neighbouring towns. I want people to use it as a meeting place like TGI Fridays."

Chris also welcomed proposals from Merseyside Police calling for tighter measures on new bars opening if the proposals could not guarantee there be no adverse impact on crime and disorder.

He said: "Anything that promotes diversity in St Helens is a good thing. It can be too easy to open a bar. If this policy does what they are hoping and it prevents people from opening the same old bar and actually makes people a bit more individual then that's a good thing."