IT has been a year since the Cells took in its first inmates.

And it has been a big year in more ways than one for Stephanie and Gabriel Pacheco, owners of the popular Colchester eaterie.

As well as continuing to run both the Cells and Memoirs, a cocktail and fine dining restaurant in the former Magistrates Court building above in West Stockwell Street, they also launched the Court Sports bar in August.

Not to mention the birth of their baby son Leo, who is now seven months old.

Stephanie and Gabriel put their own unique mark on the former holding cells which were originally used for defendants waiting to appear in the courts above.

It had always been the plan but Stephanie explains they had waited for Memoirs to get off the ground and established before moving to the next stage two years later.

No-one had ever slept in the cells, which seat between eight and 18 people.

One of the cells was on the other side near to the kitchen so they created a cell out of a former office, bringing the total to six.

Working tirelessly with whatever materials they could find, the couple kitted out each cell with a different theme.

Diners can choose from the padded cell, medieval cell, graffiti cell, mortuary cell and the haunted cell.

Originally the sixth was the Victorian Cell but this has now been replaced by the ‘I’m A cell-mate Get Me Out of Here’ cell.

“This one has a sort of jungle theme with netting and a bamboo cage in the middle.”

This new cell has proved popular and will be the venue for special event next month which will see brave diners take part in a special Bushtucker Trial.

Stephanie explains those taking part have been nominated via an online nomination system but what they will be eating is yet to be determined.

“It won’t be quite as brutal as some of the stuff they have to eat on the television programme.

“We are a restaurant at the end of the day so we have to make sure we don’t go too far.

“It will probably be little critters and things,” she says.

Social media has proved an invaluable tool for all three of the couple’s businesses.

The Court is no exception where there are 11 televisions showing a whole host of sports it might not be possible to watch at home.

Stephanie says they know there will be times it will be quieter than others but it has had a good start so far.

“You have to be realistic about what sport people will be watching on a Tuesday lunchtime but when the football is on in the winter it will be possible to watch lots of different matches at once and we will also have tennis, boxing and golf.

“Every sport you can think of,” she adds.

The cells continues to attract a lot of attention, not least for its food and unusual theme.

Diners are greeted by waiting staff dressed in orange boiler suits and the general manager is kitted out like a prison warden.

The food, with prison themed names, and cocktails are presented on trays via a trolley.

“We really wanted to commit to the theme but also offer something within the menu that is not being offered anywhere else in town.

“So we have got fish and chips, Hunter’s chicken, ribs and homemade pies but also a full vegan and gluten free menu.

“It is difficult to offer something like this in Memoirs because everything is cooked with butter and it is hard in fine dining.

“I think we were one of the first restaurants to start offering it."

With the help of writing materials, diners of all ages, are encouraged to leave their mark on the walls of the Graffiti Cell.

Stephanie explains: “It is haunted by a little girl from the Town Hall.

“Apparently a lot of the court staff would not go down there on their own but it is one of the most popular ones with customers.

And the same can be said for the Mortuary room, splattered with fake blood and one for people who like a lot of gore, she adds.

While there are no definite plans for a themed evening at Halloween there may be more than a few people thinking it would be a good time to venture into the haunted cell.