The Charleston Moves Closer To Grand Summer Opening In Bakewell
Bakewell’s historic former bank is being transformed into The Charleston, a 1920s-inspired bar and restaurant featuring cocktails, live jazz, modern dining, outdoor seating and 60 new local jobs.
This summer, one of Bakewell’s most recognisable buildings will begin an entirely new chapter. After sitting empty for years, the former Royal Bank of Scotland building in the heart of the town is being transformed into The Charleston — a lavish 1920s-inspired bar and restaurant that promises jazz-era glamour, late-night cocktails and a style of all-day dining rarely seen in the Peak District.
The project, led by Derbyshire hospitality group Longbow Venues, is edging closer to completion following positive planning discussions, with doors expected to open later this summer.
And if the vision lives up to the anticipation surrounding it, The Charleston could become one of the region’s defining hospitality launches of 2026.
A Landmark Reimagined
Occupying the Grade II-listed sandstone bank on Bakewell’s central square, the venue represents a £2.6 million investment by Longbow Venues and landlord Coverland UK.
Working alongside design studio Concorde BGW, the team has carefully restored many of the building’s original architectural features — soaring ceilings, ornate cornicing and vast windows among them — while layering the interiors with warm lighting, rich textures and unmistakable Art Deco influence.
The result, according to the team behind it, is intended to evolve throughout the day: relaxed and welcoming in the mornings, atmospheric and energetic by night.
Spread across two floors, The Charleston will include a ground-floor bar and casual dining area alongside a more refined upstairs restaurant space, together seating around 160 guests.
One of its standout features is likely to be The Speakeasy — a private dining room housed inside the building’s original bank vault, designed for intimate gatherings of up to ten guests.
Outside, a large courtyard terrace with room for 90 people aims to become one of Bakewell’s premier summer drinking and dining spots.
From Coffee to Cocktails
What sets The Charleston apart is not just its design ambition, but its attempt to bring a more cosmopolitan style of hospitality to the town.
By day, guests can expect speciality coffees, alternative lattes, cakes and modern brunch dishes inspired by cities including London and New York.
Early menu highlights are expected to include indulgent creations such as The Waffle Sandwich — featuring buttermilk chicken, maple bacon and coffee-bacon jam — alongside lighter plates like the Florentine Gatsby with avocado mousse, crispy eggs and micro herbs.
As evening arrives, the offering shifts toward classic French brasserie influences, with refined cooking, strong flavours and a more occasion-led atmosphere.
Cocktails will play a central role throughout, with spritz menus, late-night serves and the revival of Cuvée Jean-Paul Rouge — a nostalgic French red wine once poured at Bakewell institution Aitch’s Wine Bar & Bistro during the 1980s.
Live music is also expected to become part of the venue’s identity, with jazz, soul and swing performances centred around a baby grand piano.
A Personal Project
For Longbow Venues founder Rob Hattersley, the project is more than another hospitality opening.
Hattersley grew up in Bakewell, where his parents owned the much-loved Aitch’s Wine Bar & Bistro between 1982 and 2004.
“My hospitality career started at Aitch’s when I was 14,” he said. “Since it closed, people have often said there’s been a gap — somewhere with energy, great food, warm hospitality and a bit of occasion. The Charleston is about capturing that spirit for today.”
The venue is expected to create around 60 jobs and will become the sixth site in the Longbow portfolio, which also includes The Maynard and The Peacock at Rowsley.
With preparations set to begin in June and menus due to be unveiled in the coming weeks, excitement is already building locally.
For a town better known for tea rooms and traditional pubs, The Charleston may signal something altogether different: a venue designed not simply for dining, but for atmosphere, entertainment and lingering long into the evening.
