THE DOORS have closed on the once popular New Kingston nightspot, Halftime Sports Bar. Located on the trendy Knutsford Boulevard entertainment strip, the bar ended its six-year run, on June 15, as a result of mounting financial difficulties over the past year.
Speaking to The Gleaner on Monday, Halftime's proprietor, Josh James, said the bar closed at the end of its lease with the building's owner, Burger King. Halftime was located upstairs on the same building that houses Burger King's New Kingston restaurant.
"The rent is already high and we can't manage," he said, explaining that the bar was given the option of vacating the building or renting the basement as well. "We haven't decided yet whether we will reopen at a different location," he added.
Halftime was for several years a vibrant entity in New Kingston's entertainment market. Sports enthusiasts flocked to the bar to play in regular pool tournaments and to watch premium sporting events such as the World Cup (of football) and world heavyweight boxing championship fights. "Guys used to drop their girlfriends off at Asylum (the night club next door) and come over here to play pool," Mr. James reminisced.
He explained that the financial difficulties resulted from a fall off in patronage.
When contacted, Burger King's Financial Controller, Valda Ormsby, told The Gleaner that she was unaware of whether Halftime, operated by Akbar Incorporated, would reopen elsewhere. However, confirming that notice had been given for the bar's removal from the location she said, "What you have to realise is that you're in the business to make money. It's not about friendship."
Sources have suggested that, up until last year, Burger King was receiving about $250,000 per month in rent. However, in order to accommodate the bar, this was reduced to about $200,000.
Confirming the rent had been reduced, Ms. Ormsby explained that Akbar Incorporated had given up a portion of the space it was renting at the location. "So naturally the rent would go down," she said. However, she refused to comment on any specific monetary figure.
