Groundbreaking Women’s Sports Bar Opens to Thriving Community Response
In a vibrant move to celebrate women's sports, Lucy and Pippa Tallant have opened the Crossbar in Brighton, marking the UK's first sports bar dedicated to women. This innovative establishment promises to provide a welcoming environment where women can enjoy sporting events without judgment and, excitingly, it has already drawn significant interest from the community.
A Vision Comes to Life
The concept for Crossbar was born from a desire to create a female-centric space that celebrates women's sports. Lucy Tallant, the co-owner and a long-time advocate for women in sports, recounted her years of discussions with friends about the lack of such venues. With the rise of women's sports, particularly highlighted by events like the 2025 European Championship, the need for a dedicated space became undeniable.
From a humble announcement on social media, which Lucy predicted would go unnoticed, the idea quickly went viral. The bar's Instagram following skyrocketed from 12 to over 17,000, indicating a strong community support longing for a space like Crossbar.
A Safe Haven for Fans
At its core, Crossbar is about inclusivity and safety for all sports fans. The bar will not only showcase women’s sports but aims to be a haven for everyone to enjoy sporting events in a comfortable and accepting atmosphere. "The best place to watch women’s sport, and the best place for women to watch sport" is their proud tagline, and feedback from the community indicates that it is precisely what many have been searching for.
Early patrons, such as Popsy Greader-Palme, expressed their excitement about having a dedicated environment for women’s football. "I’m so glad that there is a dedicated space where people can feel safe and watch women’s football without feeling judged,” she commented, capturing the essence of what Crossbar aims to achieve.
Building Community Connections
The design of the bar includes multiple spaces for different groups to gather, which aligns with Lucy and Pippa's vision for it to serve as a community hub. They hope Crossbar will engage local teams and fans, creating a vibrant setting for camaraderie and support.
Rather than merely being a venue for sports, Crossbar represents a significant cultural shift. “I love that already this feels like a space that someone could come by themselves to watch something at 11pm on a Sunday and have a great time and feel already comfortable,” Lucy remarked after their successful Super Bowl night, indicating a promising future for the bar.
With the founding duo investing personal funds to bring this vision to life, the significance of creating a space that resonates with their community is palpable. As they look to the future, Crossbar stands as a beacon of hope and a testament to the potential for women’s sports and inclusion in the sporting sector.
