EXCLUSIVE: Details of Kelsey’s refurbishment revealed

Kelsey’s Bar in Leamington is to launch its own weekly club night called “Cheap Mondays”, with resident DJ Colin Candy – who also goes by the name of Disco Dave.

The bar has recently changed hands, and is currently undergoing refurbishment. It is set to reopen tomorrow, with prices of drinks increasing by around 10-20p across the board.

A new Facebook page has been created for Kelsey’s – it previously had none – along with the overdue addition of the long-absent apostrophe in the name.

One of the new owners, Jay Burton, told the Boar: “Kelsey’s is pretty much staying Kelsey’s.” The ground floor will still feature free pool, he said, as well as the new additions of a football table and a stage where bands will play on weekends.

He confirmed that the student-favourite Eliminator cocktail will still be served.

The new owners have plans to expand the iconic Leamington bar, he said. The upstairs room, previously sporadically used for society circling, is to become a nightclub.

It will be accompanied by the opening of an upstairs roof terrace overlooking the railway, with a late license and outdoors music. The roof terrace will not be opened until Monday of Week 2, though.

Some people aren’t as happy about the refurbishment… Photo: Cheap Mondays event page on Facebook

A standard night at Kelsey’s, Burton said, will now consist of DJs in the basement, pool and a bar on the ground floor, and a nightclub upstairs.

Cheap Mondays, he continued, would be “a cheesy pop night”, much like the infamous “POP!” in the Copper Rooms on campus. However, Burton said: “Kelsey’s is also open to drum and bass nights, house nights… all sorts of stuff. The focus is always on the students.”

But not all students were pleased by the announcement of such a drastic change to a stalwart of the Leamington scene.

Jake Mier, a recent Film and Literature graduate, posted on the Facebook event: “Nobody in Leam wants this,” garnering 36 likes at the time of publication.

But others were more optimistic. Oliver Mably commented: “Could be alright as long as the jukebox [still] has Boys are Back in Town.”

It is unclear whether the jukebox will still have the Boys are Back in Town.

DJ Colin Candy has been approached for comment.