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PLAYERS aka Big Bite, one of the dingiest bars in Harare’s central business district (CBD), has come under stiff competition from its equally grubby neighbour down the road where Harare’s elite used to go for some classic jazz music.
Sounds strange, does it not?
Since it ceased being Jazz 105 following the departure of Josh Hozheri a few years ago, it has become difficult to keep track of the place’s various names.
We believe currently it is called Eastpoint.
One can smell the stench of this eatery or is it nightclub’s toilet from the street.
To make matters worse, Eastpoint is located in an affluent mall housing movie houses, pizza places, top-end supermarkets and an ice cream parlour, among other businesses.
Could it be water challenges affecting this once classy joint or it is simply poor management and lack of hygiene at play?
As for Players, it is found underneath a Parkade, where some of Harare’s business executives park their expensive cars.
We believe that Players was built to be that place where executives pass through for a drink or two after a busy day, perhaps grab a snack while watching their favourite sport before taking the elevator upstairs and driving home.
But, alas, Big Bite will make you throw up just by passing by its entrance.
The place itself throws up a foul stench that can give someone a headache.
The few times we have peeped through the windows we saw people actually eating in there — amazing!
Giving the aforementioned toilet bars a run for their money is Gijima Sports Bar in downtown and several others that make one wonder whether health inspectors are doing their job at all.
The toilets in these “toilet bars” are unusable.
Often there is no running water.
The smell is a combination of uncleaned latrines, dust, dampness, sweat, cigarette smoke and in the case of Players, it appears some people even sleep in there.
We know the prices of beverages in these places are quite fair, which is why people frequent these hellholes in the first place.
But come on ladies and gentlemen — what about your health? Amazingly, some of these places even have ladies of the night, those sisters of ours that will do anything for a dollar.
How does a man, particularly those well-dressed ones we see at Players, even pick up these sisters that look for business in such a dingy place? Can they even bath properly?
Anyway, that is none of our business.
Our concern is the health of fellow imbibers out there, who are being let down by the city’s health inspectors that are turning a blind eye to this rot.
Online Reporter