A café-bar believed to be the first space dedicated to women’s sport in Yorkshire aims to improve accessibility for everyone, its founders say.
Hattie Dillon, 22, and Erin Draper, 23, opened Hera Social in York after noticing “no consistency” at venues offering coverage of women’s matches.
“If fans of women’s sport were to ask for the Women’s Super League (WSL) game on a busy Saturday, it’s very likely the men’s game would take priority,” Dillon explains.
She believes many pubs and bars will show games from major women’s tournaments such as the World Cup but not regular club fixtures.
“It’s not going to help to grow women’s sport when it’s 100mph and then there’s nothing.”
Hera Social’s schedule will include WSL matches, WTA Tour tennis tournaments and the current women’s U17 World Cup, but they will also show men’s Premier League fixtures and Formula One academy practice.
Dillon and Draper became friends while working in a supermarket, and later attended college together.
Dillon played football when she was younger and says she “loves how much women’s sport in general is growing”.
“Football is kind of leading that, it has grown a lot over recent years.
“It’s exciting to see the same is going to happen for other sports as well.”
