THE owners of a new bar have had to change its name ahead of its opening at the end of the month.

The Butterfly Room is due to open in Durham city centre on Sunday, August 26.

The boutique lounge will be part of the former Loveshack nightclub, in the Walkergate complex, which is due to reopen as a Players Bar later in the year.

It is part of the Olivia’s Group, owned by Innspired Leisure, which has a venue in Birmingham called Olivia’s Townhouse. Plans to open the bar in Durham as Olivia’s Courtyard have been shelved.

The venue is yards from where 20-year-old Durham University student Olivia Burt died in February after suffering head injuries in a crushing incident outside Missoula.

Earlier this month, posters advertising Olivia’s Courtyard, describing it as “Durham’s newest social butterfly” were circulated, and can still be found online.

A spokesman for the company said the firm was aware of the “sensitivities” of the area. She confirmed the posters were old and the new venue would be called The Butterfly Room.

Innspired Leisure is owned by the Codona Brothers, which also owns the Players bar brand.

Director Gordon Codona said: “The Butterfly Room will be a unique destination venue in Durham, building on the Olivia’s Group concept that we have already established in Birmingham, centred on a relaxed vibe and high-quality service.

“We are looking forward to bringing this new venture to life here as Durham is evolving as a city and we hope to be a key contributor in providing further variety for its diverse audience with a niche, premium-led offering.

“In the near future, we have plans to continue rolling out the Olivia’s brand we see as being a gap in the market in cities around the UK with different interpretations, drawing on the influences from each location.”

The venue, which has been closed since last August, has had about £2m of investment.

The company has already faced some controversy while trying to get a licence to run the premises.

Durham Police and community groups objected to the licence, which was granted by Durham County Council on the condition the venue closes at 2am.

Innspired Leisure had applied to open until 4am on certain nights in the year.