TO call it a spit-and-sawdust kind of pub would be unfair – but Ferryhill Working Men's Club is hardly known for making waves on the region's social scene.

Yet the County Durham club has just embraced one of the hottest drinking trends of the decade and opened its own gin bar.

A traditional social club founded in 1904, for decades it relied on the membership subs and custom of colliery and factory workers.

But the committee has had to change with the times.

In 2007 it was agreed that women would be allowed to drink in the main bar and members recently backed stewardess Angela Mangan when she asked for permission to turn an underused function room into a gin bar.

Mrs Mangan, stewardess for 28 years, said: "It is a big building and there are times when the club is quiet so I wanted to find a way of injecting a bit of life into it, straight away the Gin Palace has given it a new lease of life.

"It has always been a pints kind of club, people care about keeping up the traditions.

"When I put the idea to the committee I gave them some tasters.

"Some people still think gin is an old person's drink but it is so popular and there are so many ways of serving it now that it has helped bring the club up to date and brought in customers we've never seen step foot in the club before."

Mrs Mangan and daughter Becky-Jo, who works alongside her behind the bar, put eight months of research into the venture.

They have been to gin school, trawled the internet for tips and selflessly tested countless flavour combinations.

The ever-expanding bar stocks 39 different gins– including Hot Wood Craft Gin which is distilled in Wales by Ferryhill ex-pat Stephen Booth– along with peppercorns, fresh berries and home dried fruit to dress the glasses.

Becky-Jo said: "We are constantly thinking of ways to mix it up, to make every drink a bit special. We couldn't think what to put in the glass with violet gin but came up with the idea of crushing Parma Violet sweets to coat the rim of the glass.

"We love it and are buzzing about the possibilities."

Committee members John Sedgwick, 62, and Mark Wilson, 43, are passionate about the club, which overlooks the market place.

Mr Sedgwick said: "It's always been a working-class club and I might not be a gin man but this is a good idea and I can see it goes down pretty well."

Mr Wilson said: "The club is in people's blood, people used to get their club cards for Christmas and some people have been on the committee well over 20 years.

"But we need to move forward and this came from a lot of ideas that Angie and the team have had.

"Once the committee agreed, club secretary Paul Mountford and his assistant Emma Stoddart organised everything.They had the outdated room spruced up, decorated in black and greys, with mirrors, new plush upholstery and Emma spent six hours putting up a crystal chandelier.

"It is all pretty new for the club but on the opening night you couldn't move in the Gin Palace. In 17 years I've been on the committee it is one of the best things to happen."