New Sports Bar

[shanagarry]

It certainly does as John is an avid Rotterdam supporter .......

[snowytheboy]

Have to agree and say that I avoid bars like the plague that advertise football. I know this will sound strange to some people but THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN FOOTBALL and not everybody wants it rammed down their throats at every opportunity.

[tricky]

Bars I can handle, you can always turn your back, but restaurants with a big tv screen showing showing sport etc when you are trying to be romantic... absolutely not!

[Bristle Si]

Bar Charly very rarely has the telly on and the music is not usually too loud. If you don't mind the music, and a chilled out ambience what about the cocktail bar up restaurant hill opposite the strip club - can't think what it's called now but we always pop in for a couple of cocktails before evening dinner.

EDIT: Remembered - Havana Bar.

[Gary/Gaynor]

Bars that offer no sports of TV are now far and few between I'm afraid in CVO (again in my opinion but I guess there will be those that will say different)
Oh well those of us who like relaxing comfort, good music and good wine best stay away and let the others get on with it. I do wish the new owners well in their business though. The bottom line is we need business to succeed in CVO and any who has the balls to have a go is well worth a visit. GOOD LUCK!
Gaynor

[laserblazer]

I may be wrong but I think Ma Jas have a TV but I've never seen it on. This seems the ideal approach IMHO.

[shanagarry]

If it's a Portuguese establishment and they have Portuguese TV showing - it's usually with the sound off - even if it's football. That is my experience.

If it has Sky TV - then it is 'No-Man's Land' - noise, abusive language, air-punching, moronic comments, belching as well as the other form of 'gas-release' with its pungent odour are all standard requirements to be admitted to one of these places.

Where would you prefer to be

[TomUK]

Blimey! - this topic keeps rumbling on. All because some poor guy wants to turn an empty unit into a bar - perhaps he is more confident with running this type of venture rather than trying to set up a more sophisticated restaurant that some seem to prefer. As Gary/Gaynor says - best of luck to him.

From my earlier post, it may have got into some people's heads that I am a young shouter and air puncher! Far from it - sadly I hit 70 later this year and I also enjoy a nice quiet meal and a bottle of vino with some discreet muzak in the background, but I also enjoy the occasional foray into livelier surroundings. I refuse to grow old gracefully!!

I find that the larger sports bars tend to be the ones to avoid, whereas the smaller places with Sky Sports tend to be more civilised - i.e. less rowdy!

Reading through these posts it seems to me that there are quite a few quieter bars in CVO - so why the big fuss about one sports bar in what would otherwise be an empty property going to seed?

[EMM]

One early evening over the christmas holiday we our two friends and their 2 sons took the opportunity of a break in the rain to go for a long walk.
Deciding that we would like a drink and with few places open we went into Hemmingways.

There were at least 4 tVs playing and it was busy ( 99% Brit ), but we felt like intruders as having no interest in what was on the TV we carried our normal conversations to the obvious displeasure of some of the customers head bent upwards at 45degree angles watching the screens set up high on the walls.
To be honest we thought it was amusing and carried on as normal ( an 8 and 12 year old can be very funny if not a little loud ).
My point is that we did not and would not return there.
I wish the new bar success but please remember that you are there to cater for all your customers and not let the sports fans drive away those just looking for somewhere to have a drink.

In the States where there are even more TVs in bars, generally they do not have the sound on, you can watch if interested but otherwise they do not intrude.

[ken]

Yes agree this thread has turned into some bizarre 'anti sky' conversation.

Unless you have a great location (either location/view or lots of passing custom) these bars are just responding to customer demand and it would be foolish strategy for a new bar not to have Sky (not saying 24/7 just capability to use as required).
Its an easy way to ensure some custom in quieter times/months. How else are you going to get customers on a Sunday afternoon or Monday night without shelling out a fortune on entertainment.

Good luck with the venture, and for what its worth the Slam bar was quite a favourite of mine and was gutted when it closed.

[TomUK]

Good point about the states EMM. We visit the USA annually and find that most US sports bars have multiple TV screens above the bar, each showing a different sport, so having the sound on would be pandemonium with all the different commentaries clashing. As you say they usually opt for the mute button. The only exception I've seen is when a local football/basketball/ baseball team is playing and someone requests that the sound for that particular TV is turned on temporarily.
Some bars select the subtitles option on their TV's so those interested can 'read' the commentary.

[SJ & RE]

Agree there Tom.
The USA, although not my favourite destination does use the mute button more in their bars and the subtitle. Perhaps that would be a good thing in some other countries to use as well!!
Re the bar in Mcvo, I wish it good luck as I think we all do. The thread changed to discuss tv and sport and not in fact to the detrement of the new guy that wishes to open up a venue that has been closed for a while. Whatever it may be, it is better to be open than closed and will help to make it more a place up there for people to go to. Cos the more that are open the more people will hopefully migrate up there. We love the whole area and have stayed often on ther apts there. The pool is fab, and most of the places open up there are good on the whole. Good luck to all that are open there and in CVO, Lets hope some money starts to roll in for all the estasblishments.

[TomUK]

Wow! It seems we are almost in harmony b.s.a. I even agree with your reservations about the USA. We have made some good friends over there, but some of the louder Americans can be a bit 'trying' shall we say. Many don't seem to realise that there is life outside the USA.

We are out in the Algarve in May - We will have a sortie up to MC to check out the new bar (if it's up and running).

[shanagarry]

Hold on there Tom - have you had the misfortune to be within earshot of loud-mouthed, self-opinionated Brits who still harbour the belief that the British Empire still exists and is the centre of the Universe?

It's hardly surprising that these bigots exist given that the Prime Minister has told everybody he has saved the World from financial meltdown - while wading chin-deep in corruption, lies and blatant dishonesty. They proliferate in warm climate and once they are 'watered' they become unbearable - especially the 'Northern' version of the species. Yes, Americans are loud and can be equally loathsome - but heed the old saying about people living in glass houses throwing stones

If you need proof - watch the behaviour of some of the species electioneering between now and May and then stand back and watch another strain of the same species in South Africa this summer - not a pleasant prospect, sight or sound :

[laserblazer]

strain of the same species in South Africa this summer

I went to a basball game in Durban with my brother in law and the first thing his mates asked me was "Is Martin (my niece's husband) with you?" They all though Martin was great, mainly because he had a big mouth. He could get a whole Mars bar in sideways and they all thought this was really cool. To be honest, I don't think the South Africans will give a toss how the Brits behave, so long as they are spending lots of money and England are losing.