A CITY centre hotel has enjoyed record sales thanks to the huge success of its new outdoor bar which has been described as a lifeline for the business. The Townhouse Secret Garden, situated at the Chester Townhouse Hotel, has been inundated with bookings since the reopening of outside venues on April 12. The hotel on Lower Bridge Street is currently closed under Covid-19 lockdown rules but is set to reopen on May 17 as part of the latest easing of restrictions. But the success of the The Secret Garden, which initially launched at the end of last year, has helped fill the void.