VIKING settlers would have certainly approved of this place.

York’s latest bar is a throwback to the city’s 9th Century inhabitants who still resonate throughout buildings, landmarks and attractions.

Valhalla, a bar, café and restaurant at 4 Patrick Pool, is the brainchild of property developer Vincent Roberts and his business partner Matthew Bedingham.

It received a licence from City of York Council last month and is currently being renovated ahead of its opening scheduled for the end of July or beginning of August.

Once open, the venue will be York’s first Viking themed eatery, serving eight different craft beers, bourbon whiskeys and rustic meat platters good enough for any invading army.

Mr Roberts, 34, from Huntington, has known 33-year-old Mr Bedingham, since they went to school.

He said: “The idea is to have a raw, but cosy and comfortable candlelit place, using raw materials like old oak beams around the door way.

“There will be seating around the perimeter and a bar in the corner, and we will also have low key music and different lines of craft ales.”

The venue, which is set to open from 10am to 11.30pm, will operate as a cafe/bar with a small menu during the day, before running a restaurant service later in the evening serving higher end whiskies.

Patrick Pool falls within the Cumulative Impact Zone - a city centre area where stricter alcohol licensing rules have been imposed to try and stop new bars and pubs adding to the problems already caused by drink-fuelled disorder.

“One of the advantages is we are not renting this, we own it and aren’t paying extortionate rents, so our overheads are quite a lot less and we should make a good go of it,” added Mr Roberts.

“My background is a property developer, and while we don’t have a great deal of knowledge in the area, we have been working on this for a number of years and have learned a hell of a lot.

“Our niche is we are a Viking themed bar and for York, which used to be Jorvik, it’s in keeping with its history.”