The Local Legend - Episode 1

So here it is folks....... Drumroll please........ My first article! (Audience Applause) The reason I wanted to start doing this is simple. To celebrate all things local! Whether that will be a local business, charity or any other type of organisation in Gloucestershire, it doesn't matter, they all deserve to be shouted about! I have no idea how this is going to go moving forward or if it will have any impact at all, but one has to try. As the saying goes "If you never try, you'll never know"

Introducing my first Local Legend, Blue Bamboo Sports Bar. I'm going to be slightly biased towards this one because prior to my current job, I managed this bar for just short of 2 years and what a crazy time it was! I absolutely love this place. If you have been here, then do let me know what you think about it! If you haven't, well... Where have you been for the last 6 years?!

Situated in the heart of Gloucester Docks, it first opened its doors in 2017. Seems ages ago doesn't it? It boasts one of the best, if not THE best seating areas in the docks. That is of course if you like sitting outside on a hot summer's day where it soaks up the sun pretty much for most of the day. If you're a vampire and hate the sun, it goes without saying that for this very reason, there is seating inside for you. That being said, inside has 6 widescreen TV's showing a host of live sport. With Sky Sports and BT Sports, if there is a live game on, you're pretty sorted.

The bar itself has an impressive range of draught / bottled beers and ciders, wines, spirits and cocktails, as well as some great bar snacks, so if you want a cold pint of Moretti, a glass of pinot grigio, a soft drink or if you fancy sex on the docks... (that's a cocktail by the way, sorry to disappoint the dirty minded people) then just go and get one or a few if that's your thing.

In terms of giving back to the community, Blue Bamboo offers a discount to all NHS, Armed Forces and Blue Light workers. It has and continues to raise money for The Pied Piper charity as well as sponsoring Abbeymead Rovers Football and Egg Chasers Rugby. If you're regular enough, you will be rewarded with a Blue Bamboo card which gives you a 10% discount too!

In 2020, when COVID hit, crisis met opportunity. The owners decided it was a good time to refurbish the bar completely. This is also when I took the reins. A new era dawned for the bar with a brand new look. The 4th July couldn't come soon enough. Customers would be able to see what had been going on whilst finally being able to get out of the house. For a while to come, we would see the hospitality industry see a massive change with the likes of table service only, rule of 6, sitting down drinking only, a 'substantial meal' (don't even get me started on this) and track and trace. If someone was to give me ￡1 every time I asked a customer "have you scanned the track and trace barcode?" or don't forget your mask when you walk inside the building" I'd be living in a beachside villa somewhere in the Canary Islands! But nobody did.... so here we are!

In all seriousness, the bar has been through 3 lockdowns, and is still going strong thanks to the resilience of its owners, but more importantly, the support it has received from not just the locals and regulars, but everyone else who has contributed to its successes.

It's safe to say, I thoroughly enjoyed working here and have great memories from the Euro 21 and World Cup 22 England games, Six Nation games, regular Saturday night crowds, Race week etc... I could go on and on.

I highly recommend this place so if you're out and about the docks, or want to get together with your family and friends, look no further than Blue Bamboo! Keep yourself updated with what's going on by visiting the website below. You can follow on Twitter or Facebook too!

Long Live Local Legends!

Credit to Aaron Court , Sean Felice and Barry Chandler , the current owners of Blue Bamboo Sports Bar.