Walkabout plays host to Sky Sports Rugby Club Lions special
The theme of the show was the forthcoming Rugby Lions tour of Australia, which is live on Sky Sports from 1 June to 6 July.
On the night, Rugby Club host Alex Payne was joined by a panel of four former British and Irish Lions players. Stuart Barnes, Donal Lenihan, Alan Tait and Robert Jones were on hand to field questions from the 150-strong crowd who had packed the venue to watch the show.
Speaking to the Publican’s Morning Advertiser, Payne said having a live audience has been a resounding success. "There’s a real energy to the show in front of a live audience, and there’s certainly potential for doing more live shows in pubs,” he explained.
“Obviously, pubs and rugby marry up pretty well, and I should think there will be some pretty hearty rugby-themed breakfasts and lunches served up and down the country.”
Walkabout became the third pub to host the Rugby Club – after the Cabbage Patch in Twickenham, west London, and O’Neill’s in central Cardiff.
Simon Kaye, chief operating officer at Intertain - parent company of Walkabout - said: "Sky Sports made it a great event. They were really organised and everything was done really well and it brought a lot of people in to the venue. The Lions will be great for us and it is important we do everything right and that everyone enjoys it as it will be massive for business."
