Santa Barbara’s die-hard soccer fans feared they would lose their favorite gathering place when a development proposal targeted the Press Room at 15 East Ortega Street for demolition. As word of the bar’s impending doom spread almost two years ago, a “Save the Press Room” movement generated a petition with more than 13,000 signatures.
James “Raf” Rafferty, the proprietor of the beloved English-style pub for the past 27 years, is happy to announce that the Press Room has been saved.
“We signed a 10-year lease,” he said recently. “The landlord [SIMA Management] pulled its application for the development.”