The Mbuntu Cocktail Bar & Bistro is set to open on May 17 on the ground floor of the former Bitterne Park Hotel.
This is after the Bitterne Park Hotel had its licence revoked for hosting a Christmas Eve party of around 40 people last year, when Southampton was under Tier 2 restrictions.
This also resulted in a £1,000 fine for the licensees, with the police describing them as having a ‘blatant disregard‘ for restrictions.
Owners of the business apologised, saying things ‘got out of hand‘.
The new bar is being opened by business man and chef Prince Ogbuji who, with his wife, already runs Nativ restaurants in Bournemouth and in Bevois Valley.
Mbuntu means, ‘I am who I am because of who we are‘ and Mr Ogbuji says their new bar will be ‘about including everyone and about bringing people together‘.
Following this philosophy with their menu, they’ve chosen to serve a range of different cuisines from around the world, ‘representing different ways of life and of living’ their Facebook page says.
