A former nightclub in Dartford reopened on 4th March as The Dartford Sports Bar, following a combined investment of almost £400,000 from Admiral Taverns, and licensees, Chris Michaelas and April Reeves. The transformational investment has enabled the pub to undergo an extensive renovation, featuring facilities which will offer customers a unique and immersive experience.
Owned by UK community pub group, Admiral Taverns, the pub will be run by licensees Chris and April, who want to create a vibrant social hub for the community.
Licensee, Chris Michaelas, commented: “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 and The Dartford Sports Bar.”
The extensive renovation has seen a complete re-model of the interior and exterior of the pub. The spacious interior is split into two zones, a quieter restaurant area for those who like a peaceful dining experience and a booth area, containing private televisions which can be personalised to the customer’s choice of station. One of which even has a playstation installed for customers to enjoy. Every screen has access to the top sporting channels including Sky Sports and BT Sports. There is also a pool table, a dartboard, a dance floor and a DJ.
Having previously been a nightclub, the venue has a late-night licence and will be open until 3am on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Whilst Chris was keen to restore the space to its traditional pub format, he also felt strongly about offering the residents of Dartford a go-to late night destination.
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.”
