A group of ex-footballers have stepped in to save a Birmingham bar that was on the verge of closure, just as the World Cup gets underway. Bar32, which officially opened on Monday, June 15, is a new sports bar designed to inject new life into Bartley Green Football Club.
Investors with a Footballing Background
All the investors are Brummies, with three out of five being former players, including ex-West Brom caretaker manager Jimmy Shan. Shan, 47, who previously managed the Baggies in 2019, now works as head coach for Aston Villa's Under-21s and plans to use his connections to arrange special appearances.
Other Famous Faces
Another well-known figure in the group is Jamie Smith, a former Wolves defender who served as Port Vale caretaker manager in January. The bar and social club, which was 'about to go under', now appears to be in safe hands with a group of friends from Bartley Green who genuinely care about its future.
Future Plans for Bartley Green FC
Although there is currently no football team, Shan is 'one thousand percent' sure that Bartley Green FC will eventually return to the pitch. Speaking about the opening, Shan said the group wanted 'to give people in the area somewhere to be proud of'.
He explained: "This place used to be rammed, you couldn't move in here with the members and the football club. Now it's dead and it was about to go under. Like anyone in business, we can't run at a loss, we know that. But we also aren't coming in with a pretence that we're going to make loads of money. We've come in to make somewhere safe in a nice environment where you can watch sport and socialise with your family."
A Community Hub
Shan added: "We want to give people in the area somewhere to be proud of, we want to keep people in the community rather than them jumping in a taxi for a drink. Whenever you go into a community pub for the first time, you might be apprehensive. We want the message to be, Bar32 is a friendly environment where people can relax and have fun."
He also revealed plans to utilise his football contacts: "I'll be utilising my football contacts and pulling in some favours to arrange evenings for fans. There will be current stars and players of the past, it won't just be me going Aston Villa-heavy. It will be all my contacts, including England stars."
Reviving the Football Club
Regarding the football club, Shan stated: "We don't have a football club at the moment, but a thousand percent, we aim to get a club back under our ownership. We're a stone's throw from Newman University and we hope to get a team under the Bartley Green Football Club umbrella. I haven't lived in Bartley Green for 18 years, but all my friends still live here. This is the hub I used to drink at, and I want to bring my family into a nice environment."
Bar32 is located at 85 Jiggins Lane, Bartley Green, Birmingham B32 3LD.
