ANOTHER attempt is being made to make a success of a pub/restaurant complex in a city's converted former police station.

Since opening as Cathedrals, following a £3.5m development of the Victorian-built Durham City Police Station in July 2001, the business has had a chequered history.

The initial pub, restaurant and coffee shop business went bust, and two further bids to make a go of the venture have also proved unsuccessful.

Previous tenants Stan Roberts and Peter Clarke opted against renewing their lease, when it ran out at the end of February, and the premises remained closed for several weeks.

But while Chesterford Properties, which manages the building, has lodged a planning application to convert the complex, in Court Lane, into 20 apartments, the on-site coffee shop has reopened under its old name, Caf Venice.

The man behind the latest venture, Stephen Corrigan, who has a background in the catering, restaurant and hospitality fields, said he plans to re-open the rest of the premises in May.

It will include a ground-floor bar, to be called Babylon, and a first-floor 250-seat restaurant, Rendezvous. The second-floor function room will retain its previous name, The Loft.

Mr Corrigan said he has a three-year agreement to run the business, with the flats venture "a fall-back", should it again prove unsuccessful.

He is confident he has the winning formula.

"I've looked into the background of what the three previous people have tried and I believe in each case it was the wrong thing.

"It can be successful, I'm 100 per cent confident.

"What we're offering is a place to go for a drinks reception, then on to the restaurant for a three-course meal and upstairs again for a disco, all under one roof.

"We're looking to cater for group bookings and we've already got a few graduation parties and other clubs and societies booked in for functions.

"Effectively, the party can arrive at 5pm and leave at 1am, having spent the entire evening here in the various parts of the building."

Should planning approval be granted by Durham City Council for the apartment proposal, permission would remain for up to five years.