Business partners Rikki Dunnage and Edward Cox have branched out by opening a new sports bar just yards from the successful travel agency they run in the centre of Douglas.

The enterprising pair who operate Island Travel say it has been their dream to open their own hostelry.

And they have hit the ground running by launching The Front Porch just in time for the TT Festival.

’I suppose it has always been something of a dream of ours to run our own bar,’ said Rikki, 34, as he cast approving looks as tradesmen put the finishing touches to the bar, which is a hop, skip and a jump from the travel agency in Duke Street, Douglas.

But the pair stress that, despite the excitement of launching The Front Porch, they remain committed to Island Travel, which they say has experienced a growth in business over the last few years.

And looking at the bigger picture they say they are excited by the prospects for Duke Street, which they say is going through something of a renaissance.

Edward said: ’We have known each other for a lot of years. Our passion has always been for travel. We worked at another travel agents before we branched out.

’Island Travel is thriving but we believe it is every young man’s dream to open a bar.

’We are making that a reality now.’

Rikki said: ’The location on Duke Street came up and we just felt it was such a great place to have the bar.’

He added: ’This part of Douglas in the Duke Street area appears to be getting busier and busier.

’It’s a nice through way from the quay and into town. It’s looking a lot nicer at this end of town.’

They came up with the name The Front Porch for the bar after they visited an event in Leicestershire last year called The Long Road Festival, which was Americana themed.

Rikki said: ’There was a music stage called The Front Porch which was fashioned like something from the southern states of America.

’It was so cool and we felt it was so awesome.

’We knew straightaway that that had to be the name for a bar.’

There is definitely something of an American theme running through the branding and feel of the Front Porch so Rikki and 29-year-old Edward are hoping customers will ’have a nice day’.

The bar, which includes a pool table downstairs, has been created from two empty shops.

There are 12 screens in the bar so sports fans won’t miss out on any of the summer action from both the British Isles, in Europe and across the pond in the States.

Rikki and Edward, who have the full support of their respective wives, Courteney and Alison, also have big plans for live music from local bands and musicians.

The American theme continues with the introduction of ’Moonshine’ which has been supplied by a London company called O’Donnell.

The drink is aimed at recreating the events in the United States almost 100 years ago when the 18th amendment was passed banning the production, sale and distribution of alcohol. The clandestine era of distilling by moonlight had begun.

The ’legal’ O’Donnell Moonshine is made using traditional methods, and bottled in the same American ’Mason Jars’.

Rikki and Edward have tasted success at the Isle of Man Newspapers Awards for Excellence. In last year’s ceremony they were crowned the winners of the best small to medium enterprise award.

Both Rikki and Edward say that social media has played a big role in the preparations leading up to the ’soft’ launch last Friday night, just in time for TT.