VIDEO: Popular Douglas café is back (with a glow-up)

Gourmet Shakes Lounge has reopened – but not where you left it.

The café has shifted from Castle Street (off Strand Street) to a fresh new home on Windsor Road, after months of refurb chaos and late nights.

Owner Timmy Brogan has been keeping fans updated online and he was honest about how tough it’s been.

‘We’ve been shouting from the rooftops that we’d be opening on August 12th but the truth is, we’re not quite there yet,’ he posted. ‘We’ve poured absolutely everything into this project – physically, mentally, emotionally – and after nearly four months of 18-hour days, we’re just not ready to open our doors properly next week.

‘There’s still paperwork to finish, fire safety kit to install, brownies to bake, chocolate bars to craft, and final touches to make.’

On Tuesday the team went for a ‘soft launch’ – most of the work is done, with only a few things like the outside signage still on the list.

Timmy told Gef there had been some hiccups but said the new spot already feels ‘cosy’.

‘Over the next six months or so, the place will evolve, and we’ll add little quirky bits,’ he said. ‘It’ll just evolve to be the homey place that we want it to be.’

Some delays were down to Timmy’s perfectionism – and others down to planning headaches and a tricky landlord.

‘The business has been transparent throughout – I hope that’s how we’ve come across,’ he said. ‘There have been issues with planning, and obviously my old landlord making life difficult. But these things are sent to try us, and we’re here now. So we’re ready to go.’