Thousands of football fans – many of them women – made Westside the place where they wanted to watch the Lionesses battle Spain for the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia.
A dozen venues were showing the game live and there was even a choice of commentary – with Brasshouse, for example, showing ITV’s version of the match, whilst neighbouring BOX plumped for the BBC.
Every venue had a different atmosphere, giving fans even more choice about how they wanted to see the game. Velvet Music Rooms always has lots of regulars who love the venue whilst Brasshouse feels more like a village pub, with screens in lots of different rooms.
Decked out with flags, Walkabout on Broad Street decorated every table and each one had a foam baton to add to the noisy excitement. Standing outside on the pavement enjoying a coffee during half-time, general manager Jay said that 250 fans were in the 850-capacity venue.
“It’s a really good atmosphere in there,” he said. “Obviously we would have had a lot more in if the game hadn’t kicked off at 11am because it’s being played in Australia, or if it had been restricted to Sky Sports and not ITV and BBC, that alone will have made a big difference.”
O’Neill’s, on the Broad Street corner of Granville Street, welcomed ITV News and Free Radio and fans were in early to bag the best seats, as well as a hearty breakfast. One family had travelled from Wolverhampton to enjoy the atmosphere on Brum’s famous ‘Golden Mile’.
As you can see in the above video, the infectiously enthusiastic Erica, a young wannabe Lioness in the late 2030s, was leading the cries of ‘Come on England’.
Over by the window, two booths which also had their own screens as well as bird’s-eye views of suspended larger screens, where thronging with Yorkshire accents belonging to a single party of family and friends.
“We’re from Rotherham and Sheffield,” they said. “We came down on Friday to spend the weekend here and have had a great time with all of the local attractions – what a lovely area this is.”
Newcomer BOX Brindleyplace said it had taken a maximum 550 bookings before the game, including a group of young flag-waving female fans who can also be seen in the above video.
There were big queues at the bar when the game was kicking off, not least because some people were ordering double drinks to avoid having to go back to re-order. Others realised each table was numbered and that you could order table service. Throughout the match, staff were as busy as bees running around delivering drinks and collecting empties, whilst the chefs in the kitchen kept up with menu orders, too.
Every bar and pub boss would have been hoping that if England couldn’t win the game, then they might have at least equalised once ace goalkeeper Mary Earps had brilliantly saved a penalty to potentially turn the game on its head.
Had Spain scored – and they’d had an extra day’s rest after beating Sweden in their semi-final on Tuesday – that might have led to a 2-0 win.
The Lionesses rallied but, perhaps still recovering from the almighty effort needed to put host nation Australia out of the competition’s semi-final on Wednesday, they simply could not find the back of the net.
For England’s supporters, the game’s ‘Woah’ moments were few and far between thanks to Spain’s ability to hold on to the ball. And so, once the final whistle went after more than 13 minutes of added time, many fans left their empties in sheer disappointment.
Had England won the cup, you can safely bet that extra drinks would have been flowing all the way through the presentation of the trophy and beyond. Who knows, takings might even have doubled on a famous day.
Alas, it was all so near and yet so far. Oh, well… England’s men’s team will be back in the Euros next summer so let’s see if they can go one better.
And all of Westside BID’s pubs and bars currently showing matches including Pitcher and Piano, Coyote Ugly, The Distillery, The Malt House, Figure of Eight, Heidi’s and Lloyds will be delighted to see you helping to make it a tournament to remember.
Main image: Lionesses watch the game at BOX
ENDS
