Bistro French: Iconic Preston nightspot will be brought back to life for one night only

The Bistro French, which was known for its celebrity singers, three-course meals and dancing on the tables, will be reborn at a reunion event on July 22.

Adam Boasman, who ran the Bistro with his dad Ian, has teamed up with chef Paul Heathcote to hold a revival night at 23 Winckley Square from 6.45pm to 12.30am.

It will feature live soul music from Geno who used to play with band Soul Deep at the Bistro, along with DJ sets and jazz, the famous 'Magic Mushrooms' dish from the chef's original recipe, as well as the iconic pop quiz and ‘Simply the Best' sung using brushes as guitars.

>>>Book your tickets here.

"I can't wait", said Adam, who now runs a business hosting weddings.

"It's going to be a great night of nostalgia for a lot of people and I can't wait to hear the stories they have."

Adam began thinking of a 40-year reunion event in 2020, but plans were detailed by the pandemic.

He was then spurred on after seeing photos of the restaurant on social media, and by the response to a Post article on Preston restaurants people most wanted to see back.

>>>Click here to see the article that inspired Adam

He said: "I didn't know whether it would work, but the response has been phenomenal. I haven't really promoted it and we;ve sold 75 per cent of the tickets.

"It meant so much to so many people – my inbox has gone crazy!"

Ian Boasman who founded the Bistro the Miller Arcade and then in Avenham Street, passed away nine years ago, and Adam knows the reunion will be an emotional night.

He said: "The Bistro was my dad, and then me.

"I'd love to invite our old customers to bring their photos with them, so we can reminisce together.

"It's going to be a night full of emotions.

"But my dad always said to me that the phoenix would rise from the flames, and this is it, happening now."

Adam said his childhood was surrounded by music and sporting stars who used to regularly frequent the Bistro.

They included Ben E King, Martha Reeves, Ronnie Spector, snooker star Dennis Taylor, Kenny Dalgleish and the 1995 Premier League winning Blackburn Rovers Team.

Adam says he's even been contacted by Dennis Taylor's daughter and footballer Colin Hendry wishing him well with renunion.

He said: "I grew up with celebrities around all the time. My dad was a huge motown fan and because they had to tour to make an income in the 1980s and 90s, he would get them to play at the Bistro.

"We made friends with them and we even went to stay at Martha Reeve's house in America.”

He added: “Then one night when Blackburn Rovers won the Premier League, Alan Shearer turned up with all of the team, and we ended up singing We Are The Champions. That was a pretty typical story from the Bistro!"

Tickets cost £65.