Champions Sports Club owner Delvin Bean has opened a new seafood restaurant and sports bar in the building as part of his drive to take the city centre premises more upmarket.

Mr. Bean said he is also trying to attract an older crowd to improve the atmosphere at Champions, which has been dogged by bad publicity.

In February last year, Jermaine Pitcher was stabbed to death and three others were seriously injured outside the Reid Street club during a mass brawl in the early hours of the morning.

Mr. Bean said he hopes a more mature crowd will make the club a lot more relaxed than it has been in the past.

The new seafood restaurant is called Locals II and is modelled on the Red Lobster and Applebee's food chains in the United States.

The new restaurant was formally opened yesterday in a ceremony involving local MPs.

"We're trying to get an older crowd in because we're tired of the children and all the stuff that's been happening over the years, so we're trying to get a better atmosphere there," said Mr. Bean, who has owned the club for the past five years..

"We are trying to get rid of that stigma and trying to make everyone more comfortable for a more mature crowd.

"We're trying to make the restaurant as close as we can to a Red Lobster or Applebee's with a good, casual, lively atmosphere, all seafood and good prices. I hope to get a lot of people coming out to enjoy happy hour prices every evening. It's been thumbs-up from everyone who's been in so far." The restaurant is opened from 11-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. through the week.