It stood out for its theme
It’s now more than 25 years since a unique Liverpool sports bar that had the “best atmosphere'” opened its doors in Liverpool city centre. Located on Tithebarn Street, The Golf Bar opened its doors on October 1998 in the site of the former Churchill’s pub.
The business was set up by local entrepreneur Adam Coburn and it cost more than £250,000 to transform the site into a new bar, housing two simulated golf courses, operated by computer, which could cater for up to forty players. At the venue, customers could step onto a mini green with a large screen in front, projecting the image of a real course chosen from a number around the world.
At The Golf Bar, you could also watch live sports on one of their many TV screens. Prior to opening, the ECHO reported: “Getting a round in has a new meaning at Liverpool’s new sports bar.
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“As well as having a drink, visitors to The Golf Bar can also swing their way around an 18-hole golf course – courtesy of hi-tech simulator machines. Golfers can test out some of the world’s most challenging courses in the comfort of the bar.
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“For those lucky enough to hit a hole in one the reward will be £1,000 in prize money. Players use proper clubs and balls to hit a screen which shows the course layout and ball’s trajectory.”
At the time Adam Coburn said: “This is bringing a real-life game to an indoor environment. This will be a true sports bar because people can actually participate and have a bit of fun. We will even have teachers here and there is also a practice facility.”
Players would use a real club to aim the ball towards a particular location on the screen and the computer would then track how far the ball had gone and in which direction. Steve Clinton, who was in charge of the games, previously said: “The courses are accurate within a couple of inches to where each tree and bunker is on the real course, so it is a very authentic game.
“It is not difficult to use. All you have to do is hit the ball at the screen and the computer does the rest.”
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On site, a professional coach was also on hand to teach customers prior to their turn on the course. But despite it being the main attraction, the bar wasn’t just for golf fans.
Spread across two levels, with a larger drinking area downstairs via a spiral staircase, customers could grab a pint, a bite to each and watch sports on one of the 22 screens dotted around the venue. In the early 00s, burger and chips cost £3.95, while spicy chicken and chips was £2 extra.
An hour on the golf machine costs £20, but was half price on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before 5pm. At the time, the ECHO reported: “Golf Bar is one of the best bars in town to watch sport as there are so many screens, which means you are never craning your neck to see the action.
“The atmosphere is always buzzing when the big matches are on. Even if you are drinking on your own you are made to feel welcome.”
Emma Ganner, 25, of Fazakerley, also previously said: “I always come here to watch Liverpool play as it has the best atmosphere for matches when they’re on the telly. Every one is really friendly and there are plenty of regulars you can have a chat too – plus the drinks are a bargain.”
Photos, courtesy of our archives, offer a glimpse into what the venue looked like in its early days. Here, you can see staff and customers trying out a game of golf, as well as the atmosphere inside the bar during an LFC match.
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Many will remember heading to The Golf Bar for a night out or to a watch a game years ago. But by the end of the 00s, the site had closed its doors.
In 2008, the ECHO reported how a “poignant sign of the times” still stood proud in Tithebarn Street promoting the Golf Bar as “Liverpool’s best-kept secret.” After remaining empty for some time, Manchester-based C&C bought it from Derwent Lodge Properties in April 2013.
In June 2015, developer Capital & Centric secured the first tenant for its £6m Tempest office development. For some time later, venues Hus and FOLK called the building home.
But in 2021, Tempest on Tithebarn officially opened. After a £250,000 refurbishment of the building, the new venture by Ma Boyle’s owner Iain Hoskins opened to the public.
Tempest on Tithebarn gives a heavy nod to New York’s meatpacking district eateries, focusing heavily on brunches, lunches, cocktails and craft beer. This week, the ECHO also visited the venue to try some items on its menu.
Reporter Christopher Megrath said: “I never doubted Tempest was a great venue but I never experienced it for myself until yesterday. After a single visit, I wish I had done so years ago.
“The food is genuinely out of this world which is all the more pleasant when you take into consideration the generous portions. I don’t know what my plan is next – something different on the menu or drinks on the rooftop beer garden – but I will be back as soon as possible.”
The site today also has a “beer garden towering above all the rest.” An alternative option to the norm, it even houses hundreds of live bees who play their part in supplying the bar with fresh honey.
Guests don’t have to make a reservation to access the seventh-floor beer garden. The venue has a walk-in policy and, during the summer months, the rooftop is full of people enjoying music and cocktails until late.