FOUR friends from Witney hope to keep drinkers in the town centre after revamping a former pub as a Japanese-style eaterie and cocktail bar.

Sam Halsey, Tom Long, Martin Ogden and Sian Ogden took over the Red Lion in Corn Street, which closed in July.

It has been renamed Koi and is now a Japanese-themed pub and cocktail bar.

The quartet, who also took over the Chequers Inn in the same street and renamed it the Chequers Smoke House in December last year, hope it will stop people leaving the town for nights out.

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Mr Halsey, 31, said: “This is a completely fresh start. We are all from Witney and still live locally so we know that lots of people in the area tend to head into Oxford rather than staying in Witney for a meal or night out.

“With Koi we wanted to provide good food, cocktails and music – somewhere to have a great night out without having to go too far.”

The Red Lion, a weekly live music venue, closed following neighbours’ complaints over noise.Owners Greene King refurbished the pub and it reopened on Friday, November 14.

Mr Ogden and Mr Long are the head chefs and have been trained in Japanese cooking, while Mr Halsey and Mrs Ogden run the front of house.

It has a Japanese themed interior, including Asian-style graffiti artwork, and will continue as a live music venue with open mic nights, bands and DJs.

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