Liverpool's newest pub will open tomorrow, replacing the historic Beehive.
A Liverpool city centre institution, The Beehive on Paradise Street closed in February as long-serving landlady Frances Lloyd decided not to renew her lease. As a result, brewery Greene King chose to reimagine the traditional pub so it could "reach its full potential".
After its closure was announced, a listing for the pub on Greene King's website said: "The Beehive, in Liverpool city centre, represents an exciting opportunity to operate a busy pub and re launch following a substantial investment. The new offer will be aimed at the 18-50 market with a focus on live sport."
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It added: "The pub is currently dated and the investment will seek to improve all areas of the site. The bar area, lounge and toilets will all be completely overhauled, as well as there being all new fixtures and fittings and signage."
Renovation began in February and its radical change has resulted in The Futurist, which will open tomorrow (April 7). Before the pub opens, the ECHO had a look around and spoke to Marc Edmunds and Jess Bennett, who will run it.
Soon-to-be married couple Marc, 31, from Ellesmere Port, and Jess, 27, from Wallasey Village, have both worked in the trade for some time. Together, they run four other venues across the region - The Grange Hotel in Moreton, The Red Lion in Parkgate, The Wellington in Bebington and The Farmer's Arms in Wallasey.
The Futurist is their first venture in Liverpool and they got involved after Greene King approached them, once Frances announced she was stepping away. They decided to retire the Beehive name to honour Frances and to do something new with the venue.
Marc said: "We all sat around the table with a bit of a mood board and we thought about pros and cons about keeping The Beehive and how different it is going to be.
"Coming up with the idea between us all to say that retiring the name would be a gesture to Frances. The length of time that Frances had at one pub, particularly in the city centre. You just don't get that anymore.
"The idea came up between us on 'why don't we bring back something the city has lost to replace something it's losing?'. As something is going out, we're bringing something back."
The pub takes its name from The Futurist Cinema, which opened on Lime Street in 1912 and closed in 1982, before being demolished in 2016. The name stands out in red text on the pub's dark façade, which has replaced The Beehive's windows and red sign with glass doors.
Marc added: "Then we had a look around this sort of area, L1, what it's lost, what was new. We thought of The Futurist Cinema and it started leading to that, with movie posters, the signage is a bit of a replica of what was on The Futurist."
Inside, the cinema theme is prominent, with classic film posters and pictures of silver screen stars such as Marlon Brando adorning the walls. The Lime Street cinema is also represented, with pictures across the venue.
The pub is unrecognisable from its days as The Beehive. The bar remains, but has been modernised, while the kitchen at the rear of the pub has been removed. In its place are booths, which each contain a TV to show films and sport.
Marc said: "We've got booths and we'll be open early for pastries and coffee. If people want to have a before work meeting, they're welcome to come in and use them.
"We want it to be like a chameleon, so throughout the day, it will change. It will progress throughout the day."
He added: "We will have Sky and BT soon, but in the booths there will always be something on in the day, whether it's a film playing, an Only Fools and Horses episode, anything you can tie in."
About the design, which is built around wood panels and metal fittings, Marc said: "It was about being extra and a bit premium. We were very aware that we had Wetherspoons down the road and we were never going to be able to compete with them over pricing.
"With the footfall, we thought we'd give everyone something different, something that isn't really here."
Jess added: "We wanted to create a really good atmosphere, something cosy, somewhere they come in and think 'I can't wait to go back there again, I really enjoyed it'."
Before The Beehive closed, the ECHO spoke to regulars about the coming change. Many were concerned about the new iteration of the pub, fearing it would lose its character and traditional feel.
Additionally, when pictures of the new front of the pub were seen, the reaction on social media saw worries that its character had gone for good.
However, Jess and Marc said they want to do something different, so that The Futurist establishes its own character, distinct from The Beehive.
Marc said: "Whenever people hear of change, they always get scared. You never know what to expect and when you've known something one way for so long, it gets like Chinese whispers.
"People were thinking because of what was going on at the front, that they hoped the whole thing isn't just glass and steel and really modern. We've tried to go the other way.
"I think a thing that was scaring people was the idea that it wasn't going to be a pub, it would end up as a cocktail bar. But it is a pub that serves cocktails, it's not a cocktail bar that does beer, the beer is the predominant idea."
He added: "People said they didn't want to lose a traditional pub. When Greene King first gave us the mood board and we all sat down, one of the things we did was say there's no harm in keeping some of the old features.
"For instance, we've kept the old bar. It's been modernised, we've kept all the old bookcases. The panelling is all meant to be old, we've reinstated the glass above the booths.
"Maybe that older generation will come in and, instead of standing at the bar, they might end up sitting in the booths with something on."
Jess said: "We want it to be a place for everybody. If younger ones want to come in, we want them to feel they can. But, you are also targeting the older market as well.
"At the end of the day, in business, in order to survive, you need that mix of ages."
She added: "It is still a pub, it just caters to different people."
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