A FAMILY is transforming a former North-East court house into a cocktail bar.

The renovation of the old County Court Building on Victoria Road in Consett town centre is the third project for the Cartmell family.

They also run The Travellers Rest at Forster Street in the town and Crown and Thistle in Catchgate, near Consett.

They hope The Old Courts will open in April.

Mathew Cartmell, who runs Roadhouse Inns, with parents Barry and Jeanette, and brothers, Simon, and Barry, Mathew, said: “We are keeping the court windows and using jail cell doors so it has got an old court feel.”

The Traveller’s Rest opened in Augst 2011 and The Crown and Thistle opened in September last year.

Mr Cartmell, 27, from The Grove, near Consett, added: “The work we are doing is more internal to redecorate the inside. It is not construction based like the Travellers was. It nowhere near as heavy as that.”

The family has applied to Durham County Council for a New Premises Licence for the sale of alcohol and already has planning permission.

The last date for representations to be made to the licensing department is March 4.

Anyone wishing to inspect the application or make representations should contact 03000-265-107.