Luxury 1920s-themed cocktail venue set to open in West Sussex town

A licence application has been approved for The Secret Boardroom, which is expected to open on Petersfield Road next month.

The bar’s owner and founder, 26-year-old Shaakilla Mahabir, has lived in the town for the past five months after moving up from the Witterings.

Speaking to this newspaper, Shaakilla said she hopes to open the bar and café around the same time North Street reopens.

The road has been shut since March following a huge fire which destroyed a number of buildings in the road causing massive disruption to businesses and residents in the town.

"I was here when the fire happened and [opening the bar] wasn’t anything I was planning to do any time soon but I thought it would be nice to get it done quicker as the road is sorted out. It’s good timing for the business but it’s also good to get the town excited."

Shaakilla said she can’t wait to get The Secret Boardroom up and running.

"I’m very excited about opening. I’m very nervous but excited. I’ve had a lot of good feedback and a lot of support from the town. People have been very supportive and very eager for it to open.

"It’s more like a café bar, it’ll be a café during the day and a bar in the evening and open for meetings and private functions.”

Decor and signage are yet to be installed at the site but Shaakilla says the venue will take a ‘1920s Great Gatsby’ theme with art deco detailing and a classy golden-trim around furniture and has taken some inspiration from a late family member.

Offering a range of wines, cocktails, cheeseboards, light bites as well as tea and coffee, The Secret Boardroom plans on opening at some point in July and will be open Monday to Thursday, 3pm to 11pm, and then on weekends from 12pm to 1130pm.

Readers of this newspaper have already begun describing their delight at the news.

Jan Harvey wrote on social media: “This is fabulous news!”