The Shropshire sports bar once owned by a famous West Midlands rocker
As pubs continue to battle the cost of living crisis, the Shropshire Star continues its new series, Love Your Local, which celebrates our local inns.
Shropshire has a rich history of being home to pubs dating back centuries, each with a story to be told and a unique character.
Ozzy's Sports Bar in Newport comes with the history of having a famous owner, with a hint in the name of the establishment.
Famous West Midlands rockstar Ozzy Osbourne himself owned the bar on St Mary's Street, Newport, in the late 1970s after he bought the place for his then-wife Thelma.
The rock legend occasionally drank at the bar but it was largely left to Thelma to run it while Ozzy toured the world. The rocker sold the business two years later.
The business closed its doors in 2012, but James Aspray, 52, from Willenhall took over the establishment and has owned it ever since.
Speaking about what it was like taking over a place with such a famous history, James said: "It was a bit of a run-down venue and it needed a new lease of life.
"When I took over I wanted to keep the most famous point of it, the name Ozzy associated with the business, and so I swapped it from being a rock bar to a sports bar, so it is now called Ozzy's Sports Bar.
"I had to keep the most famous aspect of the bar, the association with Ozzy and that's why I kept the name in tribute to the rockstar.
"Having that connection is a good thing to have, it's a worldwide recognised name and a great advertising ploy.
"The place has become a hit with locals and students."
The venue has become a hit for twice-weekly student nights, but James said it's great to have support from the students, but also the regular customers from the surrounding community.
He added: "We get massive support from locals - it's not just about the students but the locals are massively important to us.
"There are also two darts teams we have here too. We're lucky to have a great following and you're nothing without the locals and regulars - they are your foundation in this business.
"They have all been great in supporting us along the way. Whenever we have made changes, it has always been embraced.
"The manageress Kerry Smith and the staff are very good and we have a fantastic relationship with everyone."
James hasn't always been in the hospitality industry - he worked in the transport business for a large part of his life. But once he did make the move into the field, he has never looked back.
He said: "I definitely felt like a duck to water getting into the trade, I really do love it.
"It wasn't easy but we have gone from strength to strength, and it took a lot to learn and it has definitely been a success since taking over."
The whole hospitality industry has been facing challenge after challenge in the form of the Covid pandemic and now the energy crisis. James feels his business has been OK but he is worried about the future and what is to come in the new year, and also fears for other businesses that may be lost due to a lack of support.
He added: "We are doing well at the moment to be fair, but it is certainly a worry for the future with the energy costs.
"Yes the Government has stepped in for now, but next year we will just have to wait and see what will happen - my last bill was four times the previous amount and it is frightening.
"This will finish a lot of pubs off, and only the strong will survive unfortunately. The Government really has to step in.
"We did increase some prices over the past year as beer companies have increased theirs, so we have to pass it on because businesses cannot run at a loss but we've kept it competitive so that the average man in the street can still come in for a drink, enjoy the sports we have on without it costing ridiculous money.
"The pubs are a vital part of British tradition. We have thousands and thousands of jobs in the industry and so we need to try and save them.
"These are worrying times but we will hopefully get through it."
The sports crowds at the bar have been amplified by the Qatar World Cup, and James hopes England will continue their journey in the tournament, firstly by defeating France in today's quarter-final.
