By Dave Gudgeon

Last updated 05:41, Friday, 08 August 2008

A LONG-held dream will come true for two pals tomorrow when Carlisle’s newest club opens its doors for the first time.

Ready to do business: Martin Bell in The Club in Victoria Place, Carlisle, which opens tomorrow

The Club in Victoria Place is the result of hours of hard work put in by Martin Bell and Ross Cullen there over the past 18 months.

And the pair are confident that their venture will be a success despite the closure of other pubs and clubs – and the threat to the nearby Liberal Club.

Mr Bell, 38, said: “It has to work really – and we believe it will.

“I feel we have achieved something really special in transforming this wonderful building and we just hope people will come along and have a look.

“We have done an awful lot of work here but we also have to thank those people who have helped us.”

Mr Bell, who used to run a pizza takeaway, bought the former AFS (Auxiliary Fire Service) Club last year for £150,000. Over the past nine months he and Mr Cullen, a chef by trade, have spent about £50,000 – and hundreds of man hours – restoring the premises to its former glory.

They have restored original features such as sash windows and inside shutters to the building, which dates back to about 1850. They have also created a main bar, function room, poker room and snooker room and renovated the toilets.

Earlier this week it was revealed that the Liberal Club in Lowther Street will have to close unless a buyer comes forward in the next few weeks.

Debts of £300,000 and mounting losses have forced the club to the brink of insolvency and a general meeting of members has been called for September 3.

At least one potential buyer is said to be in talks over the club and ready to carry on running it for the benefit of its 1,996 members.