MAD — Making Average Disappear
The Mad House was created from the idea that hospitality should feel exciting again. We wanted to build a venue that breaks away from the normal night out and gives people an experience they actually remember.
The name reflects controlled chaos in the best possible way. Fun, unpredictable, creative, loud, interactive, and completely different from the average bar. MAD stands for “Making Average Disappear” — the mindset behind everything we do.
We create unforgettable nights out by turning cocktails, food, and social experiences into something immersive, playful, and completely different from the ordinary.
Justin Loblack
Founder and CEO of The Mad House
“I never wanted to build a standard cocktail bar. The goal was to create a place where people walk in and instantly feel like they’ve escaped reality for a few hours. Everything we do is about energy, creativity, and giving people stories they’ll talk about after they leave.”
Justin Loblack is the Founder and CEO of The Mad House, an immersive hospitality brand based in Newcastle upon Tyne.
With over 20 years of experience in hospitality, Justin built The Mad House around the belief that bars should deliver experiences, not just drinks. What started as a creative cocktail business evolved into one of Newcastle’s most talked-about independent hospitality concepts, known for its theatrical cocktails, interactive spaces, themed brunches, and unconventional design.
Much of The Mad House was built hands-on by Justin and the team themselves — using reclaimed furniture, second-hand finds, charity shop pieces, and Facebook Marketplace discoveries to create a completely unique environment without relying on large corporate budgets.
From Lockdown Deliveries to
Newcastle’s Most Talked-About Bar
The Mad House originally evolved from a cocktail delivery business launched during lockdown. The business focused on creative cocktails and experience-led drinks, which quickly highlighted a bigger opportunity: people were not just buying cocktails, they were buying escapism and entertainment.
That idea became the foundation for The Mad House. Rather than opening a traditional cocktail bar, the vision was to build a venue that felt immersive, playful, and slightly surreal. From cocktails served in unexpected objects to interactive décor and themed experiences, every part of the venue was designed to make people feel like they had stepped into another world.
With limited budgets in the early stages, much of the build was done personally using reclaimed materials, charity shop furniture, and repurposed household objects. Bathtubs became tables, everyday items became cocktail vessels, and unusual second-hand pieces became part of the customer experience.
Creativity Through Resourcefulness
A huge part of the brand is creativity through resourcefulness. Most of the venues were physically built and designed by us using reclaimed furniture, upcycled materials, charity shop finds, and unique pieces sourced from Facebook Marketplace.
Instead of creating polished, cookie-cutter venues, we wanted spaces that felt raw, personal, immersive, and full of character. That approach became part of the DNA of the business — taking ordinary things and turning them into memorable experiences.
It’s the reason customers connect with The Mad House so strongly. When you look around and see a bathtub turned into a booth, you know you’re somewhere different.
Find Us in Newcastle
Chronicle Live
Ready to Make the Ordinary Disappear?
Join us at Pink Lane or Dean Street for cocktails, bottomless brunch, and nights you’ll actually remember.
Book Pink Lane Book Dean Street