TENNENT Caledonian has provided financial backing to a new music and entertainment venue in Glasgow’s east end, lifting the investment it has made in the Scottish licensed trade to more than £40 million in the last five years.

The brewer behind Tennent’s Lager has provided an undisclosed loan to Michael and Tony Woods, the owners of Saint Luke’s, which opened on September 19.

The deal will see Tennent Caledonian supply the venue with beer and cider, as well as mobile bars to ease queuing at peak trading times.

Saint Luke’s is the Woods' first venture in the trade and combines a multi-purpose music and arts space with a bar and kitchen, the Winged Ox.

It is based in the Grade B listed former Saint Luke’s Parish Church on Bain Street, Calton, where original features such as stained glass windows were restored as part of the renovation. The venue also boats a pipe organ display dating back to the early 19th century.

Tennent Caledonian has now invested in excess of £4m in a range of projects in the east end in the last five years.

The finance provided to Saint Luke’s builds on the redevelopment of its Wellpark Brewery, where the visitor centre has been revamped and the Tennent’s Trading Academy has been developed.

Tennent Caledonian has also developed the Drygate microbrewery, bar, restaurant and events space next to Wellpark on Duke Street.

Michael Woods said: “Tony and I are delighted to work in partnership with Tennent Caledonian and feel the encouragement and support given from our initial meeting at the early construction stages to our grand opening. We look forward to the future and feel this will only bring more success working hand in hand with Wallace's TCB.

Paul Condron, marketing director at Tennent Caledonian, said: “As a business that’s firmly rooted in the east end of Glasgow, we’re always looking for ways to support the local community, and Saint Luke’s is an exciting project that we’re proud to be associated with.”