Live action from Russia at Chatsworth watering hole

THE Russia-flavoured Kremlin Bar is likely to be a popular watering hole for Chatsworth fathers and others over the age of 18 for at least the next month.

Inspired by the Fifa World

Cup now on the go, businessman and owner of the Savera Hotel in Kharwastan, Dhilosen Pillay, got the ball rolling at his establishment with a themed fan park, which includes a large-screen TV, especially for the tournament.

Pillay said the fan park in the hotel’s car park was set up in the spirit of affording those who could not jet off to Russia an opportunity catch the action live at the Savera Hotel.

“I want the world’s biggest football tournament to reverberate through Chatsworth,” said Pillay.

He named the new set-up the Kremlin Bar so the initiative had “a nice Russian ring to it”.

Pillay said since the first match of the tournament kicked off on Thursday, his venue had drawn crowds of about 200, all taking in the football festival.

He urged small business owners to think out of the box, be creative and use innovative ideas to draw the community’s attention.

As the former chief executive of the Free State Tourism Authority, and current chairperson of the Free State Gambling and Liquor Board, Pillay has experience with setting up fan parks, gained partly when he established many of them during the 2010 World Cup hosted by South Africa.

His advice to wives for today, Father’s Day, is: “Moms should let dads enjoy their special day at the Kremlin because watching football is the best gift ever.”

Although Pillay believes the Super Eagles (Nigeria) will reach the semi-finals of the World

Cup, he has placed his money on Brazil going all the way to win the tournament.