| The Sportsmans Arms - September 2008 |
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 After a six month hiatus, one of the oldest pubs in the port has cleaned up its act and been rejuvenated once more to make its mark and provide everyone from bikers to karaoke queens with the ideal venue to spend an evening. The derelict pub didn’t go begging for long as Steve and Sylvia spotted the potential the venue had and took on the lease to transform it to its former glory minus the unsavory reputation. Reopening the doors just 12 months ago, the couple took the reigns and set about fiercely recreating and re-launching The Sportsman’s Arms as a melting pot of entertainment. The pub has established itself as a platform for local talent showcasing staples of the live music scene such as Marc Kenny and allowing new, up and coming names like Ocean Avenue to take to the stage. Steve is pleased with the image overhaul he and Silvia have worked hard to implement and feels the entertainment, as well as the focus on encouraging sports teams has added to the sense of community about the place. With pool tournaments galore, darts and two football teams practicing throughout the week, there’s plenty to get stuck into, and for those who don’t partake in exercise why not just kick back and watch the others do the work with live coverage of the premiership games. The switch from the 9 to 5 to lugging barrels of beer was a welcome change for the pair who’ve dreamt of managing their own watering hole where, like Cheers ‘everybody knows your name’.  Having already had a dress rehearsal in a pub in Leicester, Steve longed to return to Ellesmere Port where he grew up and banter with the locals once more. The modern touches such as a flat screen TV’s equipped with all of the Sky Sports channels has proved a popular venue to watch the football and attracted the inevitable crowds while the state of the art security system installed inside and out at the entrance and exit offers added peace of mind for the drinkers. Karaoke nights have proven a popular hit, bringing all generations flocking for their 15 minutes of fame. But if that’s too nineties for your taste, then dig deep and get your change at the ready for the retro jukebox, jam-packed with classic anthems. Although the smoking ban has had an effect on most businesses in the trade, the Sportsman’s Arms beer garden at the back of the pub means the smokers are not entirely excluded from the premises. The tables and benches allow an element of comfort and all come complete with the summer’s must-have accessory…giant umbrellas! To sum up the pub, the Sportsmans is a place guaranteed to offer a warm welcome to all who visit with plenty of opportunities to witness what’s hot on the Wirral’s thriving music scene and relax with a pint when the team of your choice are on the pitch. 
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