It seems no one in Halifax wants to watch these Olympics together - in public, in a bar, in front of inevitable plates of hot wings and potato skins, as all sporting events should traditionally be viewed.
The will to play host is lacking. None of the sports bars in town - not Bubba Ray’s, the Midtown, the Oasis, Dave Doolittle’s or Darrell’s – will open early or stay open late so local sports fans can taste victory live in front of a big screen TV.
Where is their spirit of competition?
Part of the problem is the liquor licence. I called a licensing clerk at the Nova Scotia Alcohol and Gaming Authority to see how hard it would be for bar owners to break from their regular hours. The clerk told me that if a bar wanted to operate outside its regular hours, it has to apply for a suspension of its licence for those hours. They have to check for zoning approval. Finally, they have to check in with the RCMP to let them know they will be open. Unsurprisingly, the clerk said no one has called to undertake this Herculean enterprise.
It’s completely unsporting!
So far, the best bet for late night Olympic viewing seems to be Freeman’s Little New York (6092 Quinpool Rd) which is open until 5am (note: no booze served after 2am). The question then arises as to how to best occupy the 5 hours to 10am when sports bars start up their deep fat fryers? Well, Mary’s Café on Robie is open at 7am and they have a TV. It must get CBC. If you have any ideas, drop us a line on this blog’s comments section. Let us know what part of Halifax you’ll be viewing from.
Coming up next: a play by play of the opening ceremonies. 7am sharp!
