Southsea bar Cha Cha's reopened as Dizzy's Bar after £12,000 investment from experienced publicans

Garry and Sue Disdle previously ran the Olive Leaf in Hayling Island from 2019 to 2020, before taking on the Sir Loin of Beef in Highland Road in 2021.

But the pair have decided to launch a new venture – their first free-of-tie boozer – after the previous owner of Cha Cha’s, in Palmerston Road, retired last year.

Landlord Garry said the couple had been keen to return to the heart of Southsea and offer something different from the bigger bars along the strip.

The 64-year-old said: ‘We’re looking to bring a contemporary, fun bar – it’s bright and Spanish-y looking inside. We play great background music, we have live music two times a week. Lots of quiz nights, race nights, food-themed nights – some of the things the big conglomerate bars can’t give you.’

The couple spent more than £12,000 and closed the bar for the whole of January for the transformation.

But one part of the old bar has been kept, with the new signage covering an old vintage sign revealed after high winds knocked down part of Cha Cha’s hoarding in 2019.

He said: ‘We weren’t allowed to take it down because it’s protected – so it’s still there under our new sign.’

Former Pompey and Tottenham Hotspur centre forward Dave Leworthy was on hand with the scissors to cut the ribbon and declare the bar open.

Family friend Dave said: ‘They have worked very hard to get this, they have been working on it for a long time.

‘I haven’t been a guest of honour for a long time – so it was nice to be asked to cut the ribbon.

‘I will definitely be coming back.’

Gary hopes the venture and the receding pandemic will bring about a turn of fortune after a ‘terrible’ 12 months. .

He said: ‘We had nine months we didn’t have a single penny coming in.

‘And then the weeks before Christmas were terrible. We had a lot of cancellations.

‘But we’re in a better place now. I’m feeling more positive.’

Garry and Sue and their team of four staff will be offering chilli con carne meals, curries, traditional pub rolls, toasties, and full-English breakfasts as part of the bar’s menu.

Dizzy’s Bar will be closed Mondays and open from 9am to 10pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. It opens late to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and closes early at 9pm on Sundays.

Next Thursday will see the bar’s first quiz night.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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