A NEW sports bar boasting virtual golf is coming to Alexandra Street as bosses hope to help transform the area into Southend’s very own “Brighton Lanes”.

Bunker 19 is hoping to open in the city centre as part of a development to create a bar and five flats on the site of the former basement nightclub Bakers Bar.

The Basement nightclub was victim to an arson attack in 2015, which reportedly cost the club more than £100,000, just two years before its closure.

Plans have been agreed to transform the building into flats and a bar, however bosses have now submitted a licensing application to get the green light to serve booze.

Bunker 19 is hoping to become a “walk-in bar”, offering a range of craft beers from local breweries, such as Leigh Brewery, and a virtual golf site, with multiple golf simulators for professionals and beginners.

The site sits opposite the Old Empire Theatre, which recently saw plans approved to create 22 flats and five shops.

Co-owner of Bunker 19, Dan Day, 44, said: “Half the premises is going to be an amazing indoor golf trackman simulator and we are also having a putting green and a fitness area behind a bay. There will be a wall dividing the golf from the bar.

“We want to have a walk-in bar for the right clientele, we want more high-end craft beers with a couple of local breweries, such as Leigh Brewery, looking to supply and we are also looking to do a couple of light bites, more to have with the beer so people won’t come to us as a restaurant.

“On the golf side of things, we are looking for serious golfers, people wanting lessons for the fitness. I used to teach golf in schools, so we will be running bitesize golf lessons for beginners and juniors.”

Mr Day has been a Westcliff resident his whole life and was attracted to Alexandra Street by the potential the area has.

He added: “I’ve liked the area, it reminds me of Brighton Lanes and it could have that look, I like the backstreets when we first looked.

“We thought it would take some more work down in the basement, being so central near the station, there are a lot of car parks in the middle of town, near the seafront there are hotels so for anyone staying we are looking at doing corporate events.”