West End residents are experiencing a mini entertainment boom with the re-opening of the Loyalty Inn as well as a new jazz and blues venue starting up.

The Loyalty Inn started serving weekend customers this month after being closed for years, while The Loft opened without fanfare in December.

Both feature live music and plan to expand operations as the tourist season kicks in.

Dennis Vickers, who co-owns the Loyalty Inn with Verdelle Dill said his pub was spreading its appeal to bring in extra punters.

A fun castle, a mini fun train and a ferris wheel are planned for an expanded lawn at the back of the pub in Somerset Road while a swimming pool could be built further down the line.

Mr. Vickers said: "We want to bring in the families -- that will play a big part in making it successful.

"There are no venues for kids -- we want to make it fun for the kids and the adults. We will have a carnival atmosphere out the back.'' Mr. Vickers hopes the new facilities will bring in wedding parties and business functions.

He added: "We are expanding the dining room, it's too small at the moment and the spill-over crowd have to eat in the bar.

"We want to make the two areas separate.

"We hope to be established when the holiday season starts.'' Four-piece jazz band West Zone are playing on Friday nights.

"We are catering to older folks. We will also have guest players. The bar is now open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.

"A lot of people don't know we are open -- we haven't started advertising.

"I guess the West End is starting a revival -- it's dead right now.

"There's no discos or live bands -- but with a little bit of creative thinking we can do something good for Somerset.

"It will grow -- people are very interested in coming 'til three. Nowhere else is open then.

"In business you have to do what other bars don't want to do. Hopefully when other places close we will be another outlet.

"A lot of people come out at 11 p.m.'' And true to its name the Loyalty Inn still has a following despite its haitus.

He said: "It's been closed for about two and a half years but most of the customers remember it. We are getting about 30 or 40 people a night.

"And we had a tourist stop by who remembered it from 38 years ago. We are sticking with the name because people recognise it.

"If we can get the locals the tourists will come out. The people who had it before didn't use their imagination.'' A sports bar featuring large TV screens is also part of the master plan.

Mr. Vickers, a plumber by trade, is installing solar panels to heat water and run the lights.

He said: "I have put them in for other people and they have said they had saved a lot of money -- it's using high tech to save energy.'' Lloyd Telford, who is behind The Loft near Thel's cafe in the heart of Somerset, says his club is going to cater strictly to jazz and blues lovers when it opens from 8 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Singer LeYoni Junos has already performed at the club with Vic Glazer but Mr.

Telford said finding other musicians who can play and sing blues is not an easy task.

He said: "There are very, very few blues artists appearing for whatever reason.'' Mr. Telford said he was glad to be a part of a revival of Somerset's entertainment scene.

He said: "Somerset is not dead, it's alive and kicking.''