Friends beavering away to bring new craft ale bar to town

MARY-LOU'S IS LAST PIECE IN THE PUZZLE FOR BEESTON SQUARE DEVELOPMENT

- By LYNETTE PINCHESS [e-mail] @LynettePinchess

AT the moment it’s an empty shell but soon the last remaining unit in Beeston Square's £50m development will be transformed into a rustic craft ale bar.

Childhood friends Kelly Carter and Hollie Beecroft and their husbands are behind the new venture called Mary Lou's Beaver.

Revealing their plans, Kelly said: "It will be a nice combination between British and American.

"We're going to have live music, comedy nights - just everything fun with a chilled-out vibe."

As well as craft beers, there are plans for more unusual drinks they've discovered on their world-wide travels - such as mamajuana.

The traditional Dominican Republic drink is made by infusing rum, red wine, and honey with herbs and botanicals like cat's claw, tree bark, and roots.

And instead of the usual tequila shot accompaniments of lime and salt, they found it served with orange and cinnamon in Mexico.

Branching out into opening their own bar is a brand new venture for them.

Kelly and her husband Terry run Baby and Nursery World, a shop in Radford, while Hollie works at a special needs school and her husband Daniel is a pipefitter.