BROWNS, Worcester’s iconic riverside restaurant, is set to re-open this month.

The Quay Street venue closed in January when Everton’s of Ombersley Ltd, the company that owned it, went into liquidation.

It will reopen under the new name Browns Wine Bar after the freehold was bought by Brian Hulme, of Scoff & Quaff Holdings, and business partner Terry Thompson, of Bowl Extreme, Worcester.

The wine bar will serve quality wines and offer Mediterranean cuisine such as tapas, sharing plates and light bites as well as three-course meals.

It will also host special events throughout the year.

Scoff & Quaff also recently bought the Crown and Sandys in Ombersley, another restaurant owned by Everton’s that closed at the same time as Browns.

Mr Hulme is known for a host of other restaurants in the county, including the Swan at Whittington and the King’s Head in Sidbury, Worcester.

He said: “Browns has always had a reputation for being one of the city’s leading venues and its idyllic riverside location means that the venue is of sentimental value to many local people.

Mr Thompson said: “Having identified a gap in the local market, we are excited to unveil a brand new concept in the form of Browns Wine Bar.”

The new owners said the re-opening, set for Tuesday, April 24, would bring new jobs to the city.

The deal comes after a previous attempt to buy Browns was made by the Pinches brothers, who run Sin nightclub in the city. They own neighbouring café the Quay, off South Quay.

Browns closed after debts built up following a major refit after the floods in 2007.

Its closure also marked the end of the Everton’s of Ombersley Ltd business, run by Richard and Rachael Everton.

The business started 94 years ago in Ombersley as a general store.