Inside the Isle of Man bar that has been shut for more than two years

A well-known nightlife venue has reopened its doors after being closed for more than two and a half years.

The Courthouse officially welcomed customers back on Friday, September 11, after new operators Andy Malone and Sheila Dowie decided to bring the venue back to life.

Initially opening on Fridays from 5pm and Saturdays from 4pm, the familiar building has undergone a revamp inside, with new lighting and a sound system installed ahead of a programme of live music and DJ events.

The renovations also include the introduction of ‘Lettys Bar’, named in memory of the late Colette Cowie.

The reopening came after partners Andy Malone and Sheila Dowie saw an opportunity to bring the venue back to life.

The pair also own Bench Nightclub and The Nags Head, with the latter becoming an established name in the island’s hospitality sector.

Bench has more recently developed a reputation as one of the island’s late-night venues, providing an alternative to other nearby nightlife spots.

The decision to reopen The Courthouse was also influenced by the success of Neil Cowie’s afternoon discos.

Speaking about the venture, Andy said: ‘This was laying empty. We decided, right, we're going to go for it.

‘Neil’s come up. “We're getting Judge Jules”. I thought that's great. Within 13 hours, the tickets were gone. So that's what enticed us to get up the stairs.

‘You know, the landlords have been really great with us. We've wiggled deals, trying to market right, and they've really helped us a lot. So that's the only reason because the building was a cracking building.’

Many of the events have sold out, with headline acts already scheduled for the year ahead and beyond.

Neil will oversee DJ bookings and the upcoming events programme at The Courthouse, while the venue has been upgraded with new lighting and a sound system to accommodate live music and DJ nights.

Food will not initially be a focus, although the team plans to expand the cocktail menu in response to customer feedback.

Neil added: ‘These days a lot of people are stepping away from businesses like this. But he's been really helpful all the way down the line.

‘We had a great conversation when we moved the afternoon discos to Bench, and it's just gone from strength to strength. So, from my point of view, it's a brilliant partnership.’