A NEW bar with a Caribbean influence has opened in Bradford’s top of town.

Bleu Rivera, on North Parade, opened its doors earlier this month.

“We had a celebration of the opening,” said Jamar Beach, owner of the Bleu Rivera.

“It was a good vibes event that went well and we had fun.

“It was a big project. It took us a few months to renovate it. If you could see where we’ve come from, you can see it’s a big deal.

“There have been a lot of battles along the way, but it’s been exciting.

“I chose the name because I like rivers and my surname is Beach, so it made sense. It’s also based on a river in Jamaica.

“As a new business, we run it as a bar but it’s also a café during the day.”

Mr Beach talked about why he chose the North Parade location, “I could see the building had great potential, so the investors and myself got in. The North Parade area reminds me of the nicer part of town.

“I wanted to create a space that’s somewhere safe where they could have a nice quiet drink. It’s aimed at both elders and young people. I want it to be a safe space where people can also enjoy games such as dominoes.

“Older people don’t come out as much nowadays.”

Mr Beach, who was born in Jamaica but grew up in Leeds, spoke about what he likes about Bradford and its residents.

He said: “I’ve experienced a lot of divide in Leeds but I don’t get the same feeling in Bradford.

Mr Beach, who now lives in Horsforth, said he has a background of working with children and young people.

“I got a lot of kids off the street. I want to do that now and employ youngsters at the age of 18. I want to use Mondays and Tuesdays (which are days Bleu Rivera is not currently open) to train people up. I want to bring people on board and give them a skill.”

Mr Beach also wants to bring a Caribbean influence into his venue.

“Our motto in Jamaica is ‘out of many, one people’. We live by that,” he said.

“I came here from Jamaica at age 11. I’d eventually like to offer Caribbean food here.

“We also want to give people a Caribbean chill-out zone. I want it to be a place where everybody feels welcome.”