IT is ten years since an opera singer struggled to pour his first pint in a refurbished little drinking hole nestled in the corner of the city centre.

Since then the Court Jester has gone from strength to strength building up a clientele of all ages with the tuneful Paul Shinar and his business partner Richard Elborough at the helm.

When the pair took over the derelict building in Terminus Terrace, Southampton, they were hoping to create a country pub atmosphere in the city.

They removed the blinds and added a variety of colourful plants and an outdoor seating area and have been receiving high rankings in the Best Bar None competition ever since.

Paul said: “Richard had a background in nightclubs and being a singer I was looking for something that would keep me in the entertainment business.

“We wanted to create somewhere where people would want to come and socialise and we thought if we could do that food and drink sales would follow.

“We thought our characters would help create the atmosphere we wanted, fun and traditional, and that’s why we picked the name the Court Jester.”

The flamboyant owner believes the pub gets a variety of different people through its doors because it has so much to offer.

He said students often pop in for a drink and something to eat on the way into town because it is not too expensive.

For the older, more refined customer there are theme nights where, on occasion, Paul will dust down his larynx and treat his punters to a song or two.

The grill also attracts foodies who between them polish off more than 200 steaks a week.

Other draws include a function room and the addition of a wide screen TV with Sky Sports and Setanta that will be showing the World Cup qualifying games.

This coincides with the management’s decision to open all day Saturday and Sunday.

To celebrate the bar’s tenth anniversary on Saturday former staff and friends flocked to the bar for a party and on Sunday guests enjoyed a performance by Paul and fellow opera singer Giselle Summers at a lunch time cabaret.

SIMON CARR The Court Jester, 13 Terminus Terrace, Southampton SO14 3DT 023 8023 1215