Witherspoons: More than the home of all sports
Pattaya is blessed with a raft of good quality sports bars, but one of the standouts among them is Witherspoons. Located on Soi Buakhow, almost at the corner of the junction with Soi Lengkee and opposite Soi Diana Inn, Witherspoons is right in the heart of the ‘sporting’ action.
While having been successful at attracting sports aficionados, the management of Witherspoons has also made a point of making sure its pub ‘grub’ is better than your average restaurant and its drinks selection is unrivalled, and not overpriced.
Its street frontage location makes it a perfect place to sit and watch the always-interesting passing street parade.
If there really was nothing you wanted to watch on one of their 15 large TV screens set up around the pub, then sitting at one of their street-fronted tables nursing an ice-cold Chang draft (just 95 baht for a pint) or caressing a draft Guinness (175 baht) while taking in the amateur street theatre is a great way to while away the time.
If sitting and doing not much is not for you, Witherspoons also have a 9-foot American-style pool table which is free for customers.
Of course the main aim of the management has been to attract those who enjoy watching sports in the company of like-minded fans. Witherspoons has attracted a strong and loyal clientele of expats and regular Pattaya visitors over the years. These regulars come from a multitude of countries: Brits probably make up the bulk, but there are plenty of Australians, Americans, Canadians, Belgians, Dutch, Germans, French and almost any other nationality you might care to think of who have enjoyed the friendly ambience of Witherspoons.
Naturally enough, all football matches, whether English Premier League or one of the major European leagues are shown live. Currently the Ashes cricket series is on between England and Australia, and attracts plenty of supporters of both teams who can be guaranteed to engage in good-natured banter in the bar.
Formula One is especially popular with Witherspoons European clientele and the management usually make sure the races are broadcast on their huge 70-inch TV with the sound turned up, so it feels like you’re there.
Other sports, from the Australian-based National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Football League (AFL) to the US-based National Basketball Association (NBA), to tennis, rugby union, boxing, and golf are all shown live on the Witherspoons screens.
With such a wide multi-national appeal the people in charge of Witherspoons decided they needed to cater to the culinary tastes of as many of these various nationalities as possible.
So the menu reflects this attempt at diversification. Naturally, the standard British favourites dominate the food choices. From the traditional Sunday roast, bangers (sausages) and mash (mashed potatoes), fish and chips, and English breakfast to pasta dishes, burgers, Indian curries, Australian tenderloin steaks, and European-style fare, there is something to suit every taste. The kitchen opens at 7:00am and continues until midnight, seven days a week.
As with a few other places around town, Witherspoons stock the daily Thailand-based English language newspapers but also have copies of the Newspaper Direct-supplied daily newspapers from the United Kingdom. These are extremely popular and are well-thumbed by the end of any day.
Three times a week there is a golf day and Witherspoons can handle club hire and transport to and from the course. You just turn up and play. For more information contact Paul on 092 3744276.
If you want to find out more about Witherspoons and what it has to offer, give them a call on 038 721 121.
