Bar Xtreme is the freshest face to join the already extensive range of nightlife available in Bournemouth, replacing the popular vodka bar Fruit. The older residents are most likely feeling unimpressed at the prospect of more noise and but hey, a new bar is the perfect excuse to get away from work or study – which is exactly what I’m going to do.
Interested in finding out a little bit about Bar Xtreme ahead of my visit, I headed to their Facebook page. The bar has only been open officially since late October and describes itself rather excitedly: “Bar Xtreme features great drinks and music every night of the week. We want to be at the cutting edge of mixology and mayhem”. Intrigued by this rather dangerous combination, I find myself looking forward to my first experience of the new face in town.
Walking through the frosted glass doors on a rather gloomy evening, the first thing I notice is just how striking the decoration is. Skis and surfboards hanging from the ceiling may not strike you as the typical interior of a bar in Bournemouth, but that’s exactly what Bar Xtreme sets out to do. Chris Hill, the general manager says “We’re independent; we can do what we want. There’s no tied down deals or certain music we have to play or anything like that”. The distinctiveness of the venue is instant on arrival – this is a bar unlike any other you’ve been to in Bournemouth.
Every surface in the dimly lit bar is accented by twinkling lights and glowing neon signs. The DJ booth looks as though it was entirely constructed out of Rubik’s cubes while below a comfortable encased booth is decorated brashly with Gorillaz album art and graffiti inspired tables. Chris describes the bar as “unique, fun and adventurous”, which seems to sum up my first impressions perfectly.
Asked what a typical night is like, Chris smiles and responds enthusiastically. “It’s loud, hectic... especially by the bar. At the same time in the seating it can be pretty chilled out, it’s up to you. It depends what you want out of your night.” Amazingly, these contrasts seem to work in the bar’s favour – and Chris agrees. “I love it when it’s busy. It’s worse when I stop! We get some great crowds in here like the BU Snowriders from the university. They come here for their socials, those are always great nights.”
David Hill now frequents Bar Xtreme quite often, being a member of the BU Snowriders. “Xtreme’s an awesome place to start your night off. We don’t want somewhere luxurious – just somewhere fun - the atmosphere here is always welcoming,” he says emphatically “They don’t try and model themselves on anything, so you know you’re getting a different experience here that I really don’t think is catered for anywhere else.”
So far, I have to agree. Bar Xtreme does not pretend to be anything it’s not and the bold abstract art pieces and humorous quotes on the walls bring smiles to the faces of many who pass through their doors. One particular quote warns “all things are possible except for skiing through a revolving door”. Obvious? Maybe, but it’s a breath of fresh air.
The extreme sport side of the bar is a major influence, from the name to the decoration. Chris tells me that the owners wanted to keep in mind certain events such as Winterfest and take inspiration from popular destinations for extreme sport like Morzine to bring something new to Bournemouth. Impressive footage of skiers soaring through the air and landing expertly on powdered snow is projected on to a huge screen. The huge grins on their faces add a sense of fun to the atmosphere . Bar Xtreme seems to fit in perfectly with the surf scene in Bournemouth as well as those looking for a night out with a difference.
Personal experience tells me this can’t last. The problem with a lot of bars is that nothing actually happens. You arrive, you drink, you leave. You can’t wait to get out of the bar and move onto the clubs once they’ve opened. Xtreme actually manages to get around the ‘pre-drink’ bar curse by hosting socials as well as their recent Surf Christmas party. “Yeah, that seemed to go down well,” says Chris “the events we’ve done so far have had some nice feedback and even suggestions for more nights”. Other events have included open mic and stand up nights, regular acoustic performances as well as cocktail making parties. Sounding good so far? I thought so too.
However, an extreme sports bar does present a bit of a flaw. Whilst Bournemouth is a great location, does this theme not exclude a large demographic – i.e. those not interested and just looking for a good time? Could Xtreme not be considered a bit – dare I say it - niche? Apparently not, according to Alex Reading, a student at Bournemouth University and now a regular visitor to the bar. “The extreme sports theme doesn’t put us off. It’s pretty welcoming to everyone – we’ve come here a lot just because it’s different”.
He’s right. Even if the extreme sports don’t necessarily appeal to you, I’m sure the interesting vodka shots on offer will. Xtreme’s special range include flavours such as fudge, Skittles, lemon bon bon and even Mars bar. “My favourite is the Refresher shot” says Alex “it tastes amazing and the night can be quite fun introducing people who haven’t been here before to the different flavours”. I bet that’s not the only reason it’s fun...
To those who have only ever walked past Xtreme, Chris invites everyone to try it out – hardly surprising – but seems genuine and wanting to provide an alternative options for a night out. “Give it a go,” he encourages “there’s no particular crowd that hang around and we vary what we do week to week. There’s always something going on that will appeal to different people”.
And with that, I take my leave. On the way home, the images of the surfboard above the bar and entertaining quotes scrawled across the walls stick in my mind and I make a note that in the future, I will definitely be visiting again. If you want an up-and-coming new scene to haunt with your friends, Bar Xtreme is your place.
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especially by the bar. At the same time in the seating it can be pretty chilled out, it’s up to you. It depends what you want out of your night.” Amazingly, these contrasts seem to work in the bar’s favour – and Chris agrees. “I love it when it’s busy. It’s worse when I stop! We get some great crowds in here like the BU Snowriders from the university. They come here for their socials, those are always great nights.”
David Hill now frequents Bar Xtreme quite often, being a member of the BU Snowriders. “Xtreme’s an awesome place to start your night off. We don’t want somewhere luxurious – just somewhere fun - the atmosphere here is always welcoming,” he says emphatically “They don’t try and model themselves on anything, so you know you’re getting a different experience here that I really don’t think is catered for anywhere else.”
"We want to be at the
cutting edge of
mixology and mayhem”
TAKING IT TO THE
start your night off. We don’t want somewhere luxurious – just somewhere fun - the atmosphere here is always welcoming,” he says emphatically “They don’t try and model themselves on anything, so you know you’re getting a different experience here that I really don’t think is catered for anywhere else.”
So far, I have to agree. Bar Xtreme does not pretend to be anything it’s not and the bold abstract art pieces and humorous quotes on the walls bring smiles to the faces of many who pass through their doors. One particular quote warns “all things are possible except for skiing through a revolving door”. Obvious? Maybe, but it’s a breath of fresh air.
The extreme sport side of the bar is a major influence, from the name to the decoration. Chris tells me that the owners wanted to keep in mind certain events such as Winterfest and take inspiration from popular destinations for extreme sport like Morzine to bring something new to Bournemouth. Impressive footage of skiers soaring through the air and landing expertly on powdered snow is projected on to a huge screen. The huge grins on their faces add a sense of fun to the atmosphere. Bar Xtreme seems to fit in perfectly with the surf scene in Bournemouth as well as those looking for a night out with a difference.