A new wine and music bar will have an opening and closing party to celebrate its very first day in business before it has to lockdown for a month.

Dave Robinson will welcome his first customers to Vinoteq in Cannon Street, Dover, from 6pm tomorrow and will then have to say farewell at 10pm.

He thinks his four hours trading could be "some sort of record" but he is looking firmly forwards.

Mr Robinson and his partner Abi have been preparing the launch since before the first lockdown.

He said: "We were hit with the first lockdown which put a delay on everything and once we came out of that we've been getting everything ready.

"We've spent a hell of a lot of time doing this...glasses are going on shelves and wine is going in the fridge and bang, we're going into another lockdown."

Vinoteq is at the former Allan Hughes Quality Menswear shop at 1 Cannon Street.

"Glasses are going on shelves and wine is going in the fridge and bang, we're going into another lockdown..."

It will comprise of a wine bar at street level and the basement will become a music venue which has a small stage.

The whole intimate operation will have space for about 50 people in "non-Covid times".

He added: "We wanted this to be a quality venue for people to come.

"I'm a musician and play drums and vibraphone around the circuit a bit."

Tomorrow's opening and closing event will include live piano music downstairs, which is still within the rules until lockdown comes into force.

Mr Robinson is considering the possibility of a soft opening, serving coffees from noon and he will update followers on the bar's Facebook page if this can happen.

The opening comes at a time when investment in the Cannon Street/Biggin Street area is being encouraged.

The area began to look bleak when chains left their town centre premises for units at Dover's St James retail park.

There are ongoing plans to rejuvenate Market Square to create a link from St James to Cannon and Biggin streets.

Mr Robinson, originally from Sheffield but a Dover resident for 25 years, said: "There's a genuine sense of everybody wanting to work together.

"We all want to support other venues and encourage others to come to town.

"Myself and my partner Abi thought a wine bar would be great in Dover.

"When the opportunity came, we know the owner of the building, and he said 'Why don't you have the downstairs?'"

The building was bought by the new owner at the end of last year and he has renovated what was a tired building.

Mr Robinson, who is leasing the bar and basement, has undertaken the internal fit-out.

Read more: All the latest news from Dover