Tyldesley's Markland wine and whiskey bar celebrates successful launch

Located in a historic building in the middle of the high street, it has been an arduous two-year project to convert the Markland building into a trendy wine and whiskey bar, but after almost two months it looks like a gamble that has paid off.

With legend suggesting that Robert Martland paid for the Markland building with his winnings from Monte Carlo in 1882, the gamble is in keeping with the venue's history, and fortunately, customers have flocked to the bar since its launch in mid-December.

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Inside The Markland on Elliott Street (Image: The Markland)
Although Mr Martland's dream to turn the Elliot Street building into a railway hotel never materialised, the historic venue has housed several businesses and apartments over the years.

With the four-story building falling into disrepair in recent times, the landlord completely stripped back the structure and refurbished the venue in keeping with the revamped conservation area in Tyldesley.

This refurbishment resulted in new apartments being created in the building's upper floors, and after a two-year project, the ground and first floor has been transformed into The Markland's setting as an intimate and stylish high street bar.

Inside the upstairs space at the Markland (Image: Leigh Journal)
With Tyldesley benefitting from a £1.5m Historic England investment to transform the look of several Elliott Street businesses in recent years, the Markland has been designed in a similar vein to these venues while also nodding to the heritage of the building.

As one of the architects of the Historic England project is also a co-owner of the Markland, there is a real desire to build on the scheme's success and attract more custom to the town.

The team aim to provide food and live music upstairs (Image: Leigh Journal)
Speaking about the bar and its reception, co-owner Ian Tomlinson said: "We opened two weeks before Christmas and the feedback so far has been amazing.

"We have had some really busy periods and weekends and we're noticing people coming from Tyldesley and further afield, which is a good sign.

"We see ourselves as a great new addition to the high street where we can complement and bounce off the other venues and bring more people into Tyldesley."

The project to transform the Markland was years in the making (Image: Wigan Council)
With a focus on whiskey and wine to differentiate themselves from other bars on the high street, there is also a selection of beer, IPAs, stouts, and cocktails on offer at the Elliott Street venue.

There are plans to launch a food menu and charcuterie board for special events in the venue's upstairs space, with the first event taking place on Valentine's Day, while intimate live music gigs are also proposed in the coming weeks.

With permission agreed with the council, the bar will also be able to provide outdoor seating to expand the business in the summer months.

A historic snap of the Markland building (Image: For Tyldesley)
Speaking about the bar's first six weeks in business, co-owner Adrian White added: "I was born fifty yards from the Markland's building and I just had a gut feeling that it was going to be successful.

"The signage and design just has that 'wow factor' and people really seem to appreciate what we've done.

"From the minute we opened, it has just taken off so we're more than happy with the response we have had so far."

The Markland, on Elliott Street in Tyldesley (Image: Leigh Journal)