THE newest-addition to Weymouth nightlife will feature scantily-clad barmaids serving drinks to customers.

Club Vision, which is promoting its opening night next week featuring the ‘best dressed bikini barmaids in town’, has been met with a mixed response.

Owners hope to attract 400 people to the venue in King Street on opening night, March 3.

The building is the former home of the Royal British Legion, No 6 bar and more recently, the King’s Club.

The people who will run Club Vision have said they want to set the record straight about the venue, saying it will be a ‘Coyote Ugly’-themed bar. They have scotched rumours of it becoming a strip club on their Facebook page.

Coyote Ugly was the name of a 2000 film based on a real-life bar in New York.

Shelley Hopcraft, who will run Club Vision with husband Matthew, said: “This is definitely not a strip club and any rumours about that are completely false – we want to make it completely clear. Everything is completely above board. We have CCTV, door staff – the girls and men working here feel completely safe.

“We have been on drug courses, under-age courses and I’m on the Pubwatch Committee.”

Some residents have raised concerns over the nature of the club.

Waterside Weymouth Community Forum chairman John Morse said: “It would be nice to have something there rather than empty buildings, but I don’t know if it’s the best place for a club with scantily-clad barmaids.

“There are lots of clubs and pubs already along the seafront. Maybe in a different location it would be okay, like in the now empty Brewers Quay.

“Weymouth is a bucket and spade job – people come down here with their kids to play in the sand.

“I don’t think this location is right for loud music and drinking – maybe in a different location.”

Councillor Peter Farrell said he welcomes the use of a building that would otherwise remain derelict.

He said: “I live next door to it and I welcome the empty building coming back into use.

“I have had no problems with any of the previous tenants of the building and I don’t envisage a problem with this one.

“We have to give it a chance and not be negative about it before it’s even begun.”

Club Vision will employ nine members of staff and proceeds from the cloakroom will be donated to Help for Heroes.

Mrs Hopcraft added: “This is a positive thing for Weymouth.

“Shops are closing and people are out of jobs. We’re not only bringing employment but also trade for those around us.

“Surely it’s nice to see someone putting their faith in Weymouth?

“It’s a lovely place to live.

“Unfortu-nately we’re in a bit of a slump, but we’re bringing a new business here and hopefully it will provide a boost to the town. The traders are all in this together and we have to help each other.

“We are buying our supplies from local suppliers and putting more money into the community.”

Matthew Hopcraft said: “This is a positive thing for Weymouth.

“Everyone we have spoken to is very excited about it and looking forward to having something new in the area. The night life here is very dried up.

“We hope it will bring some life to the town. We’re creating jobs and we’ll be buying our supplies from other local businesses, so it will help them out too.”