FROM Cuba to Carlisle....a new nightlife boss has given bar workers somewhere to go when they finish their shift.

Andy McCormack, who is the new boss of Havana on Botchergate, is giving workers the chance to relax and enjoy a drink when his Saturday night trade has gone to bed.

Mr McCormack, who founded the Brickyard on Fisher Street in 2002, said: “We have a 24-hour licence so it seemed too good an opportunity to waste.

“I just wanted to give bar and people who work in the industry somewhere to go as it’s hard to have a night out when you work in a bar.”

When the Saturday night/early Sunday morning punters have gone home, Mr McCormack shuts the doors for half an hour to clean up and then opens them again to welcome his members.

He said: “I’ve got 250 membership cards and Havana holds 210 people. I don’t expect everyone to come at once.”

“Our first Sunday morning went well. It was well received.

“From 2am to 8am is just for bar workers as the general public would be far too drunk by that point.”

Mr McCormack took over Havana, formerly called The Liquor Hut, at the end of May and opened on June 17.

He said: “I changed the name and put my own stamp on things as my daughter lives in Miami so the whole Cuban thing sort of stems from that side of America.

“It’s a nice cocktail bar. We make everything from scratch. All our cocktails are freshly made and that’s our focus. We’re a luxury bar.”

About 10 staff are employed at Havana, which also holds cocktail making master classes for birthday and hen parties.

Mr McCormack, who also teaches martial arts, said: “Since I left the Brickyard I’ve been teaching and jetting off around the world enjoying myself.”