A new lounge bar has been launched in Stornoway promising "high-class cocktails" and a "hidden luxury"to allow the after-dinner crowd to unwind.

The County Hotel latest business venture Am Bothan, is now open to the public offering a new high-class cocktail bar, said to provide customers with "a full night out on the premises with a shift in atmosphere from dinner to drinks".

The bar has been months in the making, with constant developments and an ‘all hands on deck’ attitude from the venue’s dedicated staff.

The idea to transform extra seating space came from hotel manager Shonnie MacRitchie’s wife, Anji, who saw the potential the room had hidden away. The bar brings a new service for the restaurant, whether coming straight from. dinner next door or making a nighttime outing especially for the bar.

When asked why she decided to take this root with the space, Anji told WLS: “I felt there was a gap in the market for somewhere people could enjoy a quiet drink after dinner. It really became clear to me last Christmas, when I realised there were very few relaxed, quieter places to go in the evening.

“I spoke to some local people to see whether it was something they would use, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. That gave me the confidence to turn the space into a cocktail bar.”

WLS got a preview of Am Bothan pre-opening. The atmospheric design of the room places you in a completely separate space, defined apart from the restaurant section and instead moving into a calmer space lit with soft lighting and a cosy fireplace at the head of the room.

The space conveys an air of luxury, reflecting that of a city setting. Welcoming people in to their inviting setting, feeling hidden away from the sometimes chaotic atmosphere of a restaurant.

Am Bothan is open every Friday from 5pm to 11pm and Saturday from 3pm to 11pm. The menu includes a choice of five drinks, an Amaretto sourz, a dirty martini, a strawberry daquiri, and espresso martini and an Aperol spritz.