Coast Bar, Hull: The 'loud' pub run by two teenagers
Here’s the thing. Coast Bar is in an unfavoured part of East Hull; it’s loud and brash and generally populated by people in their twenties. The beer is basic, and the food offering only stretches to scampi fries.
It sounds like exactly what it is – not the sort of place I usually visit or the sort of place you usually visit. But I’m still going to bestow Pub of the Week on it anyway.
Why? Well, it’s been opened by two teenage Hull lads, and that is remarkable enough to be worthy of the honour.
Max Hamm and Matthew Chester are not even 20, yet they’ve taken on the responsibility of a pub and all that entails. Licences, staffing, stocking, bills, smashed glasses, rowdy punters and cleaning the loos. All is in their young hands, and fair play to them.
How many teenagers do you know would show levels of gumption anything approaching that required to open their own pub?
They don’t attempt to disguise that their offering is aimed at a specific target audience. There are Britpop posters on all the walls and matching music blaring out.
There are Jaegerbombs on offer, and you could well imagine this being a space jam-packed with thirsty, lusty youngsters every weekend, bellowing out ‘I Predict A Riot’ or ‘I am the resurrection’ way past the bedtime of anyone sensible.
It’s going to take some doing, pulling enough of a crowd to the part of Holderness Road that this pub occupies, but, weirdly, I can see a way that this might just work.
Coast Bar is just close enough to the city centre to be a stop-off for East Hull drinkers on their way to or from town.
It could make a good meeting point for those on hen and stag do’s or other group nights out.
Success is not out of Max and Matt’s grasp if they can garner enough attention.
I hope they make it. For every pub that opens is a blessing these days. Even if it’s not your thing and it’s not my thing, I truly hope that the Coast Bar turns out to be someone’s thing.
Coast Bar, 50 Holderness Road, Hull, HU9 1ED
Welcome4/5
Atmosphere3/5
Drinks choice2/5
Prices4/5