Soccer stars turn out for healthy eating café launch

A host of footballers and their Wags are expected to attend the opening of a new “healthy eating” cafe backed by Liverpool and former England player Jamie Carragher.

Cafe Sports England opens tonight in the star’s home city.

The 29-year-old has joined forces with Liverpool businessman Paul Flanagan to launch the venture, a family restaurant with TV screens to watch classic sporting moments and live games.

Carragher, who is married to childhood sweetheart Nicola Hart, retired from international football last July.

He said he has been planning the venture for around four years.

“Jamie Oliver got me thinking that if he could get healthy food into schools, why couldn’t we get it into family restaurants?,” the player told the Daily Mirror last week.

Carragher, father of James, four, and two-year-old Mia, added: “We’ve all got to help tackle child obesity. The warning signs are there about how fat our kids are getting.

“I’m coming towards the end of my career and by getting into the restaurant business I was trying to do something for my kids’ future. So I thought, why not try to help other kids, too.

“Being a footballer I eat healthy food and I know how difficult it is for working-class parents to dish up that kind of stuff to kids all the time. But maybe we can help them get a taste for it.”

The £5 children’s Little League menu offers main courses of chargrilled chicken, pizza, burger and pasta dishes with deserts of banana and custard and frozen yoghurt. Side orders available for youngsters include corn and peas, mixed salad as well as chips and baked beans.

Mr Flanagan already owns two of Liverpool’s best known celebrity haunts, the Newz Bar and the Sir Thomas Hotel.

His spokesman said: “Cafe Sports England is aimed at the casual dining family market whilst promoting healthy food and beverage options to encourage children to ”eat well and play well“.

“The restaurant’s theme will also pay tribute to all local sporting heroes past and present.”

The venue has also been given access to the Liverpool Echo newspaper’s 125-year-old sporting archives.