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Little over a year after opening, it may be a touch early to suggest that it’s literally living up to the name, but it’s certainly taken several sizeable leaps in that direction.
The single-room venue on a corner site in the Cheshire town of Nantwich has been kitted out on a budget by its four co-owners, not that you’d know from looking.
Premium aesthetic
The fit-out was done largely using reclaimed materials – the bar front is constructed from the old floorboards of a school hall that were being replaced – and it’s achieved a premium look that’s a notch above the standard sports bar spec.
The food offer too is up a level, with the two food influencers on the team using their knowledge and contacts to source locally, even developing a signature smash burger blend in partnership with an independent butcher based 10 minutes down the road, a process that took three months because they wanted to get the recipe spot on.
It’s also partnered with a nearby distiller on a bespoke gin and has its own-badged lager, with an AC Milan-style red and black striped colour scheme that’s replicated on items such as the food and drink menus and the soap dispensers in the loos.
Diverse demographic
Braille, large-print and dyslexic-friendly menus demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity, while high priority for women’s sport encourages a diverse customer mix.
The overall aim was to create a distinctively UK take on the classic American-style sports bar, and there’s no better example of that than in the decorative approach.
Instead of gridiron helmets and basketball shirts, there are glass table tops with English football programmes beneath them, while the interactive darts board has a backdrop of retro football cards. GOAT also sells its own design of football shirt – the GOAT logo on red and white stripes, of course.
