food & drink
Aze behind the bar at The Trafalgar
spaciousness means that a broad spectrum of customers can find their own corner. The layout combines open areas with semi-private sections where groups of friends can gather around a big table and feel they have their own place. Aze told me that when the new enlarged bar opened over eight years ago it was the first dedicated sports bar in Gibraltar, “and it’s still the most popular,” he added in all seriousness. A former footballer where he grew up, in Gillingham, Kent, Aze showed me the sporting spectator facilities in the pub. There are no less than nine TV screens, of which three are full HD 62-inch plasma models; so you can watch a match from wherever you are in the pub. “We show all the football matches, boxing, rugby, all sorts of sports;” Aze told me, “and we can show four live games simultaneously.” There are also two poker machines and a pool table for those of us who like to play as well as watch games, whilst the sporting theme is enhanced by a variety of appropriate photos around the walls, but without going to excess. The Trafalgar is famous for more than all that, believe it or not. Superbly produced by longestablished cook Sally, the celebrated Sunday roast carvery at £6.95 draws in plenty of people from all around, whilst the week from Monday to Friday sees the turn of the bar’s help-yourself buffet, with such favourites as chicken tikka, curries, jacket potatoes, lasagne, assorted rices and vegetables; all for the same price of £6.95 — which even includes a dessert. Amongst the popularity of the sports and the food, we mustn’t forget that this is a pub as well, so it has a choice of drinks such as Becks, Bass, Stella, Magnus cider, San Miguel and Caffreys. As an indication of prices, Caffreys is just £2.50 a pint. As mentioned at the start, on National Day, 10th September, there will two special eat-allyou-want buffets: the breakfast buffet will be available from 9am to 11am, for £6.50; then from 11am to 4pm the hot buffet will be laid out (with desserts as well) and all for £7.95. Please note that reservations are essential for the buffets on National Day, one of the busiest days of the year. Drop into the pub or book by phone on the numbers below. When I asked Aze (it’s an anglicism of the name ‘Jesus’) if he had a happy hour, he replied, “we’re one of the cheapest bars in Gibraltar for beer — so it’s always happy here!” The happy atmosphere also attracts people who want to have a private party or a wedding reception, when they can hire all or part of the pub, including the terrace at the front as soon as the new roundabout is finished. n Located beneath the Queen’s Hotel and close to the Cable Car, the Trafalgar Sports Bar is open every day from 9am to 1am, with the food served port of call, the nearest pub to the RN docks, but noon to 4pm every day. The numbers for enquiries also because our fame has spread from ship to about parties (or anything else) are 20045370 and ship so they know about us before they even 0034 647979849; or you can email Aze on trafbar@ gibtelecom.net. reach Gibraltar.”
a good sport “
The Trafalgar is the main pub for Liverpool and Barça fans,” said owner-landlord Aze Walker; “and we’ve got great buffets for National Day Aze, son of the legendary Roy’s Cod Plaice owner Roy Walker, was telling me about the mixed clientele at his spacious bar opposite the historic Trafalgar Cemetery, but he emphasised that above all it is the spiritual home of Liverpool and Barcelona supporters in Gibraltar. “But it’s always a friendly atmosphere, so it attracts a good mix of people. Myself, for instance, I’m an Arsenal fan, but I sort of get on with the main teams’ supporters,” he said with a laugh. I also learnt that the Trafalgar is very popular with the Royal Navy, whether visiting or based here. “They initially come because it’s the first
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2009
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The Trafalgar Sports Bar is one of the bigger pubs on the Rock, having been formed when Aze’s father bought the Trafalgar Tavern and the adjacent Harry’s Tavern. He knocked the two into one and re-opened in April 2001. The work involved changing and renovating everything, including the cutlery, crockery and the tables and chairs. The result is the type of big bar that is to be found in every town in Britain, whose
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We’re one of the cheapest bars in Gibraltar for beer — so it’s always happy here!
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