Chesterfield man set to reopen popular town centre bar – in memory of his brother who died five years ago

Joe Maltby, 30, has revealed plans to reopen Cheeky’s on St Mary’s Gate – rebranding the venue as Ignite.

Joe said the move was inspired by his brother Marc – who passed away on October 12 2017 in HMP Nottingham.

Marc, 23, was three weeks into a four-month sentence for what his mother Sharon Whitford previously told the Derbyshire Times was 'petty stuff' – including not attending probation meetings on time.

On the day of his death, Marc had asked to phone his mother, and when this did not take place he began to damage his cell. Officers blocked his cell door with a ping pong table after he threw items through the observation hatch, and the next time Marc was seen, it was by an inmate who found him hanging in his cell.

Marc’s death was ruled as suicide by a jury inquest – a verdict that his family have continued to challenge. At that time, Marc was the prison’s fifth inmate to die within a month and the second from Derbyshire.

Just a few months later, the chief inspector of prisons raised concerns about the safety of staff and inmates at HMP Nottingham – reporting an increase in self-harm and high levels of drugs, violence and assaults.

Now, Joe wants to pay tribute to Marc by opening a bar in his memory – with his family also involved in the venture.

“Marc liked his dance music and he loved going to parties. I wanted to set it up on my own, but my mum’s partner has come into it with me as well.

“It’s a tribute to Marc – something that we’re doing together and somewhere we know that he would’ve enjoyed coming. It’s something we want to do for ourselves, but include him as well.”

Joe said that the venue will become a bar and club, with cocktails, bottles and a full range of draught pints.

“It was an old cocktail and bottle bar, but it’s having a full refurbishment and will be freshly decorated.

“We’re going down the lines of a bar and club. In the day it will be a bar and at night it’ll become a club, with a DJ that I’m good friends with. We’ll have proper draught pints in as well, so it will cater to everyone.”

Joe added that he wanted to recreate the reputations that Cheeky’s had - with a relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff.

“Cheeky’s has never had a bad name. When I used to come in it was a good place with cheap drinks, you could have a laugh and the staff were friendly. We’re changing the name to Ignite, but I think it will do well.”

“I don’t want there to be any violence towards door staff and things like that – if you can talk to someone and get onto their level, that’s always a better thing. I want people to come here and know they’ll be safe, even if they are being chucked out.”

There is no confirmed date for when the venue may reopen its doors, but Joe is in the process of submitting a premises licence. He hoped that, without any delays, Ignite may be ready to welcome customers in early November.