A CANALSIDE live comedy and and music venue is set to open its doors at the Waterfront.

Red By Night will open on October 26, on the site of the popular and long-departed PJs bar, thanks to the hard work of a pair of local entrepreneurs.

Vicki Wilkes and her husband Darren are the driving force behind the venue and the pair have ploughed £250,000 to bring the rundown unit back to life.

Vicki said: "Darren and I have worked together for a long time and ran a successful engineering business, based in Brierley Hill, so we know the area well and remember those fantastic nights out at the Waterfront all those years ago.

"In our old jobs, we’ve been lucky enough to travel the world and work with huge global corporations

"But three years ago we sold the business and after some soul searching and toying with the idea of opening a bar in Austria, we decided the Waterfront was the place we wanted to be.

"If anyone had asked me ten years ago, where I saw myself in the future, I would never have dreamed of being where we are now.

"We want everyone to feel welcome and plan to have student nights when the new music university “Resonance” opens but on the whole we’ll generally be tailoring to a more mature crowd. We plan to have a range of different styles of music, live bands, comedy and regular open mic nights."

The venue will be the 43rd new business to open at the Waterfront since Dudley Council secured enterprise zone status for the area back in 2017.

Councillor Ian Kettle, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said: "We’re really pleased to welcome Red by Night to the Waterfront and DY5, Dudley’s Business and Innovation Enterprise Zone.

"With the increased number of people now working at the Waterfront as a result of the enterprise zone and the influx of students in the future, it’s great that the retail and leisure offer at Waterfront is expanding to support this growing community and provide quality dining and entertainment experiences that it desperately needs.

"I wish Red by Night all the best for their opening night."

Vicki and Darren will employ 15 members of staff as part of their new venture, including new bar manager Rachel Marson, who used to manage the bar in PJs.

Red By Night, which is named in celebration of the the Black Country's industrial heritage, will be open from Wednesdays to Sundays.