Popular SoBar snooker, pool and live sports bar venue in Inverness city centre closed
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A large sports bar and grill in the heart of Inverness city centre has closed to customers for unknown reasons.
The glass front entrance of SoBar on Castle Street was boarded up today, with the premises in darkness.
UPDATE: Failure to pay rent behind SoBar closure
No reason for the closure was posted at the property or on SoBar’s social media. Their listed website address was a dead link.
Landlord for the building at 55-67 Castle Street is the local holiday accommodation specialist The Waverley Inn Group.
Waverley’s area manager Robert Norris confirmed SoBar had closed “for the foreseeable future”, but declined to comment further.
Occupying a prime location below the Castle and close to the High Street, SoBar emerged as a popular venue for larger groups and parties in Inverness.
Above a large downstairs bar and eatery, it offered five snooker tables, five American pool tables and eight UK pool tables.
There were also poker and darts to keep customers occupied, along with what the firm boasted was the largest screen for live sports in the city.
Prior to 2012, the building was occupied by the now defunct Rileys snooker hall, which went into administration nationally that year.
The venue was revived as Pockets, before being rebranded as SoBar several years ago.
Its demise would be a blow to Castle Street, coming just two months after closure of the iconic Castle restaurant nearby.
The Courier has attempted to contact the firm’s owners Matthew and Tim Culley.
