A Rugby nightclub owner is confident that he can corner the town’s entertainment market after undertaking a £700,000 refurbishment.

High Street-based La Vida Nightclub, which was formerly Palm Beach, has been given a new look after Ricky Pipe decided that he needed a larger capacity.

Work began on the project last summer and was finished in time for La Vida to opens it doors this weekend.

Attendance figures were high and Mr Pipe believes that there is no reason why he cannot fill the club every weekend.

He said:

"We have increased the capacity from 700 right up to 1,250 so it is now a very big club.

"It is completely different building to how it was before and the only thing people will recognise about the place are the bars.

"The project cost £700,000 and included new décor, new air conditioning units, and new dance floors and the club is now on two levels.

"We opened this weekend and the feedback was good – people liked it.

"The figures were high and we were fairly close to capacity which is good considering that word of mouth has not had chance to spread yet."

And Pipe, who has owned the club for the last seven years, is confident that there are plenty of clubbers in around the surrounding area to keep La Vida busy.

He said:

"We had a lot of people from Rugby itself but also from Birmingham and all over.

"We are looking to book all the top DJ’s for the club and we already have Danny Rampling coming to La Vida.

"Once these type of people get to know we are here then it will be easier to attract them."