Chorley man who had heart attack leaves behind 18 years as an accountant to open Riley's Taproom and Wine Bar

The 40 year-old had made his career as an accountant for almost 20 years, having previously worked for Victrex Plc - a manufacturing firm in Thornton Cleveleys.

Following a real scare last summer he is now however, along with his wife Julie, running Riley's Taproom and Wine Bar in Chorley town centre, opening in late December on Cleveland Street and already garnering rave reviews with a Google rating of 5.0.

He said: "I have always wanted to open a bar.

"I had a heart attack in June last year and realised you only live once.

"You may think, 'why would you open a bar when you've just had a heart attack?' but life's too short to worry about things like that so here we are."

"When we first walked in in August the place was an absolute dump but through a lot of hard work, and quite a lot of money, and it's so far, so good."

With a focus on great craft beer and wine, the pub will also be providing meat and cheese platters from this weekend and, what's more, for all pet-lovers, is doggy-friendly.

Describing the vibe of the venue, he continued: "It's a relaxed vibe which is interesting and diverse."

The bar is open every day expect Monday and Wednesday. Opening hours are Tuesday noon - 6pm, Thursdays and Fridays 2pm - 11pm, Saturdays 1pm - midnight and Sundays 1pm - 8pm.

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