A NEW Andover bar that opened this weekend celebrated with free live entertainment and a venue filled with customers. 

After being made redundant, owner Jason Wyatt followed his dreams and opened The ARK Bar - ark standing for a random act of kindness. For its first night on Saturday, December guests listened to live music from the King Louis band.

Jason said: "Saturday was a real pinch me moment, I couldn't believe it was all real and I'm really excited for what the future holds.

"I don't have visions to become a massive business with a building 17 times the size of this, it is about providing intimacy, a positive experience and the name - a random act of kindness."

READ MORE: The Ark Bar in Andover town centre is set to open next month

The opening night saw people from all walks of life attend, which is exactly what Jason had hoped for. 

Jason added: "I couldn't be prouder of the staff; everyone was very hands-on and we received lots of great feedback where everyone commented on the good vibe and the acoustics."

Andover Advertiser: The ARK Bar on its opening night.The ARK Bar on its opening night. (Image: Jason Wyatt)

As someone who suffers from depression, Jason wants The ARK Bar to be a place where people can have fun and socialise whilst feeling safe. 

He is also working alongside Andover-based charity The Yellow Brick Road, which is a charity that aims to teach young people life skills to help end youth homelessness in the area.

Cllr Iris Andersen also visited the bar ahead of its opening on Saturday and said: "The ARK Bar is something new and different, it’s a safe place for anyone to go to and it’s a lovely environment. Jason has worked really hard, and it is amazing what he is doing for our community."

In the new year, the bar will also be open during the day so people can come in and grab a hot drink, sold by an independent coffee brand, or alcohol of their choice. 

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The bar is set to open again on Thursday, December 8 with more free live entertainment from a solo artist and its opening times for the rest of 2022 is 4pm to 11.30pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 

The bar also has a downstairs area that will open near the end of 2023 and can be used for things such as private dinner parties or silent discos. 

For more information go to thearkbar.co.uk or The ARK Bar on Facebook.