Koze, Saltburn: The new seaside wine bar which welcomed 15,000 guests in its first four months

Josh Newell-Brown and his partner Nichola Watson created Koze in the space previously occupied by the Saltburn Station Gallery, in Station Square, after its closure.

The venture was subsequently granted retrospective change of use planning permission by Redcar and Cleveland Council after plans were submitted by Redcar-based LJC Architectural Design.

Mr Newell-Brown, who also runs the long-established Signals, another café/bar in the town a short distance away, said Koze was “warm and welcoming”.

He said: “We were like ‘let’s do it’ – we got offered a unit and that was it really. We serve a wide range of wines, seasonal grazing boards and raclette, a melted cheese which is served with meats and pickles and bread.

“It’s somewhere where people can turn out for conversation and enjoy good, chilled vibes.”

Meanwhile, events being organised have included wine tasting and Belgian beer tasting, wreath making and intimate acoustic music sessions.

Mr Newell-Brown said Saltburn was “bustling” with a handful of similar hospitality ventures operating on the square.

He said: “You’ve got Coco & Rum, then next door to us is The Sitting Room. It’s a good little group of places. Saltburn was built to be a tourist town and while we do rely on the summer months, the festive period is also busy.

“We have had 15,000 people through the door since opening at the end of July.”

Saltburn councillor Philip Thomson, who was supportive of the application, said the changing face of the town was “very interesting”.

Coun Thomson said the town was increasingly catering for the visitor market and there had been a move towards cafés, bars and restaurants, although he regretted the loss of some smaller independent retail outlets and a balance had to be struck.

The family-run Saltburn Station Gallery inside the old Saltburn Railway Station buildings, which are Grade II-listed, sold high quality, handmade arts and crafts from local artists and is understood to have closed several months ago, leaving the unit it occupied vacant.

A council officer’s report, which accompanied the granting of planning permission, pointed out the local authority’s policy included “promoting the reuse of vacant buildings, especially those of heritage value and at risk”.

It noted: “The proposal would retain a heritage asset in active use and provide for increased leisure and social use within the town centre.”