Boyzone star Shane Lynch opens Irish bar D13 in Knutsford

Shane had commitments with the chart-topping band who embarked on their farewell tour in 2018 and Nathan, a stunt driver, was part of the Fast and Furious live shows.

So as well as not being able to find the right venue, the pair were like ships in the night with tour schedules meaning they could rarely meet up.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

But things obviously slowed down during the Covid era and when they stumbled across the former Corks Out bar in Knutsford everything fell into place.

They signed the paperwork in October and – fast-forward to present day – the building is now the Irish bar D13, named after the Dublin postcode where Shane grew up.

Shane, whose wife Sheena is also involved in running the venue, said: "We were looking for a business for a long time in the pub or bar game.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

"We were looking at venues all the time but it took us three or four years because we were both going away on tour. Nathan was on the road. He’s a professional stunt driver and he was touring around the world with Fast and Furious.

"So he’d get back from tour and then I’d go on tour and we never landed the right deal until this place.

"We were close to looking at a place in Chester but it turned out not to be quite right and when Nathan found this venue it was a no brainer for us.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

"We turned up and within 20 minutes we were like: 'Yep'."

Shane and Nathan met through a mutual friend many years ago.

As well as a shared love of racing, the pair found they were on the same entrepreneurial wavelength and launched a brand of vodka together called Ver 2.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

"The three of us have been in or around the booze industry – whether it be making it or drinking it – for a long time," said Nathan.

Shane and Nathan have also been keeping busy during the pandemic with their new motoring show, My Dream Machine, which they filmed last year in Ellesmere Port.

They have finished series one which has given them the opportunity to focus on D13.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

Nathan, who performed for crowds of up to 15,000 people during the Fast and Furious European and Asian tours, said: "We’ve all talked about this for years and it was never the right time until we were both up here filming a new show. We thought: ‘We’re all up here, let’s do this’.

"The timing has worked really well on all this and, if I’m honest, I think it’s been more by luck than judgement.

"But now we’ve finished that series, we’re not being dragged away filming. We can spend all our time on the bar. Our focus is here."

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

Shane, who now lives near Heswall with Sheena, added: "We've had a lot of luck during the lockdown – the luck of the Irish if you want to call it."

The King Street bar is still a 'work in progress' but the terrace is already open to the public.

Shane, Nathan and Sheena prioritised getting that area up-and-running as soon as Boris Johnson said venues could serve customers outside from April 12.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

"We ran two weeks over on the build but at some point you’ve just got to open the doors," said Shane, 44.

"I’m a perfectionist and every tiny little detail has to be right for me and a part of me keeps thinking: ‘We still need to do this and that’ but it’s beautiful and it’s more than ready for people to come in here.

"We’re probably more than halfway through the project inside the building I’d say. A lot of the stuff is there, it’s just not in place so after we decorate and tidy up I think we’ll be good to go.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

"We’re going to completely change this whole place. It will be a full revamp."

Nathan has fallen in love with Knutsford – known for its Italianate-style houses designed by Richard Harding Watt – so much that he is in the process of moving to the town from Chester.

He said: "It's a beautiful area, it's like being on holiday. I know there's a link with Italy and you get that vibe when you walk around."

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

Sheena added: "You can do the social media and the press but what’s been nice is seeing the reaction of the people of Knutsford.

"They’ve been nothing but welcoming and positive and have been really interested in the bar after talking to us.

"It shows the community and spirit here and that they want us to do well which has been fantastic."

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

That was certainly evident on the opening night.

Nathan said: "The reception to it was amazing. We didn’t really announce it, it wasn’t an official launch.

"We just did one Instagram post saying: ‘We’re going to open at 7pm – if you fancy it come down’ and the uptake on that was overwhelming. It was incredible."

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

Among those in attendance were Shane's Boyzone best mate Keith Duffy and Westlife's Brian McFadden.

Shane said: "The boys were in town. They are keen golfers so they played some holes and then came over here to sink some pints. I was so happy they were around for this."

Boyzone may have said 'Thank You and Goodnight' but Shane has not left the music industry.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

We will be hearing more from him soon with supergroup Boyz On Block – also featuring Dane Bowers from Another Level, Abz Love from 5ive and Ben Ofoedu from dance duo Phats and Small.

Shane added: "We’re a party movement if you want to call it that and we’ve got a record coming out in a couple of months with Heather Small from M People.

"So music for me is still very much on the go. I think I’ve got about 20 gigs from August onwards. In terms of the whole world of Boyzone we finished our last tour in 2019.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

"But I still like music projects – let’s call them vanity projects – and with the Block boys it’s just more suitable to what I’d listen to myself."

Shane, who has known Keith since 1985, would not be drawn on rumours Boyzone will reunite for their 30th anniversary in 2024 – but he did not rule it out.

He said: "We’ll still be hanging out with each other and drinking beers but we won’t be on stage together now, or at least not for quite some time."

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

Meanwhile, Shane seems to be following a trend of celebrities running bars in Knutsford – one street up is former Corrie actor Adam Rickitt's place, Dexter and Jones.

Shane and Adam's paths crossed on a reality sports game show called The Games in the mid-2000s.

"That’s the only time I’ve spent with Adam but he’s an absolute gentleman," added Shane.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

"I haven’t been in there yet but his place looks lovely."

Shane describes D13 as a 'magical tour through Ireland' with 'old Ireland' up front, 'magical Ireland' in the middle and 'new Ireland' on the terrace and described the venue as a 'little gem'.

And although he is in no rush, he would consider opening other D13 bars but – like the Knutsford bar – all the circumstances would have to be right.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

He said: "Sometimes when you find a little gem and you’re happy with it, it’s a lovely thing.

"You can get confused around expansion sometimes – not all the time but you can just become of the ‘take over the world’ mindset.

"But there is something humbling about this place at the moment. It’s quaint, contained and you’re surrounded by comfort.

Shane Lynch has opened a bar with his wife Sheena and business partner Nathan Gerhold

"I’m feeling comfort at the moment as opposed to expansion so I’m not saying it’s not going to happen but we’re not there yet.

"From people commenting on social media to people talking to us when they're walking past, there has been a lot of excitement about D13 which feels great."