The UK's first women's sports bar: an idea we all wish we'd had

For IWD, I’m not writing about a campaign, I’m writing about a concrete action (action being part of the IWD 2026 theme).

That concrete action (literally and metaphorically) is the recent opening of Crossbar, Britain’s first bar for women’s sports. A bricks ‘n' mortar statement about how the world could be different.

Like any brilliant creative idea, it is both inspired and irritatingly obvious when you hear it, the standard: “So bloody simple!”, “Why didn’t we think of that?”, “I can’t believe nobody’s done it before now”. It’s genius and would have been an inspired PR campaign for someone. However, the much better news is: it’s permanent, not a pop-up. Founders Lucy and Pippa modestly say they “just did it before someone else did”.

At Crossbar, you can watch women’s sport (and other sport, like men’s sport), work, have a coffee, have a pint, play darts or pool, and – you know it’s a big deal because they mention it twice on one Insta reel - cuddle dogs.

Crossbar is not just for women, and it doesn’t just show women’s sport, but its ‘prioritising women’s sport’ ethos is a clarion call for potential customers. 

To be frank, I think this will put some kinds of customers off (good, more fool them) and attract some kinder ones (excellent). It screams safe space, good vibes and letting kindred spirits have a good time, whoever they are. He's, she's, they's, gays and everyone else. If Crossbar wasn’t already in Brighton, Brighton would be its spiritual home.

Thinking about the concept for this piece got me thinking...can you name another female-led space that is accessible for the every(wo)man, more about hanging out, less about how you look? I can’t. That’s not to do down hairdressers, spas and nail shops, it’s to big-up the reinvention of a still stereotypically-male space, that excludes nobody (unless they exclude themselves).

The UN IWD 2026 theme is "Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls, focusing on dismantling structural barriers, such as discriminatory laws and social norms, to achieve equal justice." That’s vital, but it does sound like it might take a while. 

In fact, data says that at the current rate, it will take 286 years to achieve equality. Whilst we wait for the lawmakers of 2312 to do their thang, actions achieve more than debates.

Crossbar is one such action. It’s a small change that will no doubt inspire more. It’s creating an environment – and we know that changes how people behave. Small, different positive behaviour leads to more, bigger, better behaviour.

I hope Crossbar is a huge success, and world domination ensues. 

As someone once said, it’s ‘deeds not words’ that matter and Crossbar shows whilst regulators chat, (extra)ordinary people can create change. I hope we see the words Crossbar across establishments in many more towns and cities over the coming years. It’s kicking off a change not just in the pub scene but in the fabric of culture. I’m just kicking myself I didn’t have the idea first.