ONE of the most eagerly-awaited bar openings of the year is almost upon us.

North Bar, which has won great acclaim for its bars in Leeds, is opening in Cheltenham Parade in Harrogate next Friday (February 19).

The company says the Harrogate bar will be larger than the others, and there will be a slightly different focus.

There will still be a strong emphasis on varied and high-quality beers from around Yorkshire, the UK and the world, but there will also be more attention to food and events.

A large function room upstairs will be available to book and will also be used by the bar, to host events such as cinema nights and hopefully specialist beer events.