While some popular Liverpool venues have stood the test of time, many have sadly closed to make way for the next generation.
So many clubs, bars and pubs have left their mark on Liverpool over the years. But few still evoke as much feeling, or as many good memories, as these venues from 10 to 20 years ago.
Some opened in nineties and noughties but were confined to the history books after a matter of years. Others were around for longer and still live on in our memories, reunion nights or through the new businesses who occupy the sites.
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From celebrity haunts to legendary clubs, we only recently said goodbye to a number of them. Here, we take a look back at some of the Liverpool bars and clubs we loved back in the noughties.
This list isn't intended to be comprehensive, we picked a number of lost bars and clubs loved at the time. But if you have you would like to see included, let us know in the comments section below.
1. 051 Club
Back in the 1990s, 051 on the corner of Mount Pleasant and Brownlow Hill was known as one of the city’s most famous venues. With a capacity for 2,000 people, for years clubbers would tackle the club's rite-of-passage stairway descent to the basement expanse to dance to some incredible music.
Above the huge site, you could see the bold lettering of '0 five one' elsewhere in the city. With resident Dave Graham emerging as one of the defining tastemakers at the club, it was the arrival of Lee Butler, who’d made his name DJing at The State, which ushered in a new phase at the ‘0 five’ and began solidifying one of the most loyal crowds in the north west.
But in 2005, the venue closed and since then, the site has been home to a cinema, paintball arena, bar. The venue became other clubs, including Aura from September 2013, but was stripped out by 2016.
2. The Paradox
The art deco style clock tower, on Ormskirk Road in Aintree, used to be an alternative for club-goers who didn't want to venture into the city centre. It started out in the 1920s as the Vernon Pools building, but when they moved to new premises in 1991 it became the Paradox nightclub.
Many DJs had weekly sets at Paradox, providing the soundtrack to many nights out and the club welcomed thousands of Merseyside clubbers every week before its closure in 2001. Whilst on air, The Hitman and Her also visited the popular Aintree nightclub.
In January 2013 the building was torn down, having stood empty for years and becoming derelict. After the iconic structure was demolished, the site became home to a Sports Direct store with a gym attached.
3. Cream (Nation)
It's been 30 years since a small underground club night in Liverpool first burst onto the scene before becoming a global superpower. Liverpool's super club Cream was at the cutting edge of dance and electronic music in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Based in Wolstenholme Square, it grew from humble beginnings to a legendary movement that would see superstar DJs travelling from around the world to get to play sold-out sets. The weekly house music night first launched in October 1992 at the now demolished Nation nightclub and later went on to be known for offshoot events and festivals around the world.
Sadly, the iconic club closed its doors in 2007, and the venue was demolished in 2016 as part of the regeneration of Wolstenholme Square, along with the Kazimier Club which later became an iconic part of Liverpool's music scene in its own right. But Cream events still take place today.
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4. Newz Bar
Back in the noughties, Newz Bar was where all the celebs wanted to hang out - and so did we. One of the city-centre's best known bars, the Water Street venue quickly became an integral part of the entertainment scene, regularly attracting local A-listers and those visiting the city.
The venue opened in 2000 and its glittering guest list through the years included everyone from Lady Gaga and Ne-Yo, to Coleen Rooney, various members of Girls Aloud and countless premier league footballers. Newz Bar closed its doors in 2014, but is still remembered as a "legendary" Liverpool institution that "had it all."
The venue later became Amanzi restaurant and District House. This year, the site reopened as Hooters.
5. The Living Room
Another celebrity haunt, The Living Room was one of Liverpool’s most popular nightlife venues. It had a bar and restaurant on the ground floor, a club called Mosquito below and a secret VIP bar and club - Vampire - below that.
Located on Victoria Street in the city centre, it opened in 2000 serving 120 covers and specialised in trendy cocktails and stylish food, quickly becoming the city’s place to be seen, with both local and non-local celebrities venturing there. It featured live performers on the grand piano through the week, and for Sunday lunch, while DJ’s on Fridays and Saturdays played a wide range of music, and Grand National jockeys celebrated or commiserated there.
It closed its doors in 2014 and was later replaced by Sugar Hut. The site is now home to restaurant Dash and XOXO nightclub.
6. Blue Bar
In 1998, Blue Bar & Grill first opened and the nightlife scene on Liverpool’s waterfront began to evolve, seeing people brave the cobbles for nights out there. Occupying a large part of the Edward Pavilion at the Albert Dock, the affectionately known ‘Blue’ was a staple for famous faces and people who "loved to be seen" throughout the noughties. Members would dress to the nines for a night at the venue which boasted bare-brick walls and a "lounge club" feel.
Baby Blue attracted big names, from local stars to international legends. And while a schedule of high profile DJs were regularly found behind the decks at the nightclub, it was perhaps best renowned for its comedy nights.
By the late 2000s, Baby Blue made the full time switch to becoming a comedy venue under its new guise of Liverpool Comedy Central. But it's still fondly remembered for the names it attracted and for its impact on the nightlife scene on the waterfront.
Do these awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.
7. Baby Cream
Once one of the most high profile bars in the city, Babycream opened in the Royal Albert Dock in 2003. It was a joint venture between Liverpool super club Cream’s James Barton and the owner of Blue Bar & Grill, Rob Gutman.
The venue soon became a shining beacon of the dockland party scene. The venue was split into three areas with a lavish bar and beaded-wall booths at the front.
Slip through to the back and you would be greeted by a bouncing dancefloor; an upstairs restaurant completed the venue and ensured Babycream could cater for every occasion. Welcoming many celebrities in its time, the venue has been closed for many years.
8. The Lomax
Many clubbers of the nineties with remember The Lomax club on Cumberland Street in Liverpool city centre. The venue opened in 1993 and during its time, some of the UK's biggest bands played gigs there, including Oasis and Radiohead.
As well as Oasis and Radiohead, some of the bands to grace the stage there included Cast, Space, Supergrass, The Verve, Stereophonics, Shed Seven, Sleeper and Echobelly. In 1998, the team behind the Lomax also opened their larger sister venue, the L2 club in Hotham Street, which later became known for the likes of its 70s Club Tropicana nights.
The Lomax moved from its original Cumberland Street building in 2000 to share the bigger venue it spawned, the L2. Following the closure of the L2 in 2002, which went on to become the O2 Academy, a new version of the Lomax reopened back on Cumberland Street with new owners but closed around 2014.
9. Korova
Back in September 2005, Korova first opened its doors in Liverpool city centre and became a "cultural hub for musicians." Located on Fleet Street in what is now the site of Black Rabbit, the venue was the brainchild of Rob Gutmann, Evol promoter Steve "Revo" Miller and Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu of Liverpool band Ladytron.
The venue had numerous rooms including a bar section and a basement area for gigs, with the likes of Klaxons, 2manydjs and Florence & The Machine performing there in its time. At one point, Korova also offered food in the day and customers could pull down sixties-style TVs from the ceiling to watch old films in their bright red booths.
By the late noughties, Korova moved to Hope Street, but in 2010 the site was hit by a devastating blaze. The venue later reopened as Frederiks.
10. Magnet
The Magnet, founded in 1958, holds an illustrious and iconic place in the city's heart. Originally, a street level bar named the Rumblin’ Tum, an eating house famed from the outside for its geometric wood panelling at the window, the basement of the site was named the Sink Club.
One of the city’s first black music venues, many will remember entry was by way of a numbered sink plug on a short length of chain which proved membership. By early 2018, it was announced that The Magnet would no longer host gigs, as the site was "changing ownership and usage," according to Merseyside club promoters EVOL.
By April 2018, the ECHO reported how renovations had begun at the former site of Liverpool's much-loved music venue, The Magnet, as the Hot Water Comedy Club prepared to open. In August that year, Hot Water Comedy Club officially opened and the team went to great lengths to maintain as much of the history of the iconic bar.
11. Bumper
Bumper, on Hardman Street, was one of Liverpool’s most popular nightspots for years. The club and cocktail bar which launched in 2004 was one of the first places in Liverpool to be granted a 5am licence.
Bumper took over the building which used to house another much loved nightclub, Plummers. But by 2016, the venue closed.
It is still remembered for its stylish and quirky interior and neon signage. It was also a landmark in the daytime too thanks to its ever-changing lightbox sign above its door, with its jokes and cheeky slogans.
12. The Pleasure Rooms
For more than a decade, weekend after weekend, the iconic Pleasure Rooms nightclub was packed to the rafters. For many, the demolishing of The Pleasure Rooms in Wolstenholme Square left ravers devastated.
The venue was known as the birth of Scouse Nation and was part of the Scouse House heydays. The club's music proved so popular that CDs were regularly given out at events, such as Scouse Nation at the Olympia, and sold in local record shops.
Pleasure Rooms had its final gathering in 2016. But revellers are known to meet up for Pleasure Rooms reunions often.
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13. Krazyhouse
In the early 1990s, The Krazyhouse on Wood Street burst onto the city-centre scene and became famous for its indie, rock and alternative scene. Also synonymous with Liverpool students, it was affectionately known as the K! to loyal clubbers.
One of the biggest clubs in the city boasting three floors with different genres of music on each one, it was also loved for its quirky feature pieces and drink deals. Clubbers often experienced sticky floors, drank the money saving Red Stripe deal or a bottle of Faustini and could order pot noodles and pickled eggs from the first floor kitchen.
But in 2018, the closure of the nightclub was lamented by many as the end of an era. That same year, the venue reopened as Electrik.
14. Garlands
Garlands quickly achieved legendary status in the city after it opened in 1993 on Eberle Street. It become synonymous for taking risks with extreme entertainment and being the backbone of the city’s LGBT+ nightlife.
The first after-hours gay club in Liverpool, it welcomed an army of visitors from Merseyside and across the country for over two decades. It was also known for hosting a huge line-up of DJs, as well as a number of famous faces.
A "trailblazing" venue, it was a place for everyone and known for its infamous catchphrase - "Garlands made me do it." But after being a firm feature on the club scene for around 25 years, it closed its doors for good in 2019.
15. Le Bateau
For hundreds of people in Liverpool, Friday and Saturday night out meant one thing - a night out in Le Bateau. For well over two decades Le Bateau was the place to go on Duke Street.
The famous gig venue and club closed its doors back in April 2012. However memories of VooDoo club nights will last forever.
Through the years Le Bat hosted a number of seminal live bands, from Le Tigre, Make Up, Silver Apples and Arab Strap while DJs added their brand of cool to the sweat-stained ceiling of The Boat, including Tjinder and Ben from Cornershop, St Etienne's Bob Stanley and Chris Geddes and Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian.
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