Nightclub reopens as sports bar after £370k revamp

10-Mar-2022 - Last updated on 10-Mar-2022 at 10:14 GMT

A sporting chance: booth seating also offers tailored television channels

A former nightclub has been transformed into a sports bar after a £370,000 investment from Admiral Taverns and the site’s licensees.

The Dartford Sports Bar, operated by Chris Michaelas and April Reeves, has undergone an extensive renovation, featuring facilities that claim to offer customers “a unique and immersive experience”.

For seven years, Michaelas had been searching for a venue to take over in Dartford town centre until the Dartford Sports Bar came along. In March 2020, just days before the first lockdown, he and Reeves took the site on.

Challenge during pandemic

Michaelas said: “Taking on a new venue at the start of the pandemic has definitely been a challenge but it has been worth every minute. I’m so glad we were patient and that we held out because the Dartford Sport Bar couldn’t be more perfect for us. We’ve worked so hard on creating and perfecting this space and it has been a pleasure introducing it to the locals. We do what we do because we love giving people a good time and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for us.”

The renovation has seen a complete remodel of the interior and exterior of the pub. The interior, which is split into two zones, has a quieter restaurant area and a booth area, containing private televisions that can be personalised to the customer’s choice of channel, including premium sports. One of the booths has a PlayStation installed. There is also a pool table, a dartboard, a dance floor and a DJ.

Late licence

Having previously been a nightclub, the venue has a late-night licence is open until 3am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday so the offer of a night out into the small hours is still an option in the area.

Outside, the pub features a large, covered courtyard garden with heated booths containing televisions. The site has also introduced a new lunch menu and offers a ‘doggy discount’ if customers bring a dog plus a new cocktail menu with a two-for-one offer on Thursdays.

Admiral Taverns business development manager Paul Gornall said: “Chris and April have transformed the Dartford Sports Bar and created something so special. Their passion and love for the industry is infectious and the bar is a perfect example of our work with a licensee to put their vision into practice.”