More night-life options are coming online in the next few months with a new club poised to open on Bermudiana Road and an old club in the midst of expanding on Bermuda House Lane.

Simone Maranzana, who co-owns Portofino with his father Cesare, will open the new bar/nightclub Splash next door to his Italian eatery. The space was formerly occupied by the Rosebank Gallery and offices.

Mr. Maranzana says that when the two-floor Splash opens in the middle to end of next month, it will be reminiscent of European clubs. The interior will be a ?very upscale modern mix featuring plasma televisions and fibre-optic lights?.

?It will have a new design the Island hasn?t seen before,? he said. ?Both floors will have a completely different feel. Upstairs there will be lights and fibre optics. Downstairs will be more rustic, but with a modern feel.?

The music will complement his concept for the bar.

?I will have a DJ but also I will be feeding the music coming straight over from Europe as well,? he said.

His decision to open Splash came about partly because the space came available and partly because several clubs closed last year, leaving a void in the Island?s night-life options.

?It was a mix of a good location in town and a lack of entertainment for the older generations,? Mr. Maranzana said.

He plans to introduce a membership programme as well as a minimum age limit of 21 to avoid the problems of violence that have plagued other clubs.

?I keep hearing from everyone it is the youth. I don?t want to go out with these teenagers causing trouble. You always saw Club 40 with Police outside all the time. I?m looking for a place that is more sophisticated so people our age can go out.?

Mr. Maranzana plans to play up the synergies between the two venues he owns. He sees Splash ? which will also have a covered sidewalk patio ? as a place where Portofino?s diners can relax ahead of or after their meals. He also plans to compliment his happy hour with a snack menu prepared at his restaurant next door.

?It is a sophisticated bar/club,? Mr. Maranzana said. ?The difference from a regular nightclub is that they do not start until 11-12 o?clock. This will be starting at 5 in the afternoon for cocktails if business people want to come and relax, have a drink and listen to quiet music. At 10 pm everything will switch over into more of a night scene.?

One person who is very familiar with Bermuda?s night scene is part-owner of Blue Juice, Guido Esposito. Like Mr. Maranzana he has also recognised the void in night life options in Bermuda and he is renovating his space to accommodate more people.

The renovation will see the construction of new bathrooms, the transformation of the current indoor bar into a lounge area and a redesign of Blue Juice?s patio. A new indoor bar is also being constructed in space formerly occupied by furniture store Howe Enterprising.

?We will try to bring in something different with this new room,? Mr. Esposito said adding that when the bar opens the new space there will be a change of concept.

?The concept will change a little bit, but I can?t say more than that.?

Blue Juice will remain open throughout the renovation process. The company plans to open the new space in January