A Liverpool city centre restaurant says it has had to make major changes due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.
The Monro on Duke Street, which is well known across the city and renowned for its Sunday roasts, has taken to social media to share a number of changes taking place at the restaurant. According to owner Will Lyons, the venue has “gone Greek” after 20 years as a gastropub.
In the post, Will said he wanted to post about the recent changes and explain to his customers why they’d noticed differences. Ultimately, he said, it boils down to the cost of living and keeping The Monro open and thriving.
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Will explained that, in a massive change to its usual gastropub grub, The Monro is serving Greek food. However, the team at the restaurant did serve Greek dishes from a food truck at the Albert Dock last year, so it's not that much of a jump.
According to the post, the restaurant has faced a number of challenges since the coronavirus pandemic, including its gas supplier going bust and the venue’s bill doubling “overnight” to £3,000 a month.
Will said that despite some resistance from the team, he knew he had to act. The plan, according to Will, is to ensure that going out to eat at a restaurant isn’t a rare treat for people, but rather something that can be done cheaply and enjoyably.
He added that while some customers have responded well to the change, others have been “bitter and cruel”, possibly due to a sense of loss. However, he said it’s “no loss to keep The Monro not just open, but thriving.”
The full post read: “Hey everyone, Will here at The Monro. Thought I'd post about the recent changes at The Monro, namely going Greek! Why after 20 years of being a gastropub would I abandon all that I worked for and the amazing reputation we have in this sector?
“Three words - Cost Of Living. It was in September 2021 that we seriously started planning for this, and later that same year our gas supplier went bust and our contract down the toilet. Our gas price doubled overnight, and is now £3,000 a month.
“We bumped along through Christmas and by the time Putin did his thing I knew, we probably all knew, it wasn't going to get better anytime soon. With some resistance internally, and soundings externally saying it was a bad idea, I still knew I had to act.
“Going out for some has always been a treat, for others it's a regular thing. We didn't want it to become a "rare" treat so here's what we did. But why Greek? Well my one of us is Greek and had spent the best part of last year serving Greek food from a food truck at the Albert Dock.
“So we have the knowledge, heritage AND the passion. But above all else, by going Greek, you can still enjoy eating out (or get it delivered from Just Eat soon!) for around £8 - £9.
“You get a substantial meal, still cooked from fresh, still made with all the passion we can muster, and all our love on your plate. Has everyone responded positively? No. Some are bitter and cruel, but I guess they feel a sense of loss. But it's no loss to keep The Monro not just open, but thriving.
“One of the things about this job is, why get out of bed and do it at all? Be the best you can be has always been my motto, which is why The Monro ended up in the seatbacks of Easyjet magazine, to The Sunday Times, Independent, Rough Guide, Les Routiers and so many more.
“But this change is amazing in so many ways. It helps you to still go out, save money, and experience being a genuine part of The Monro family. So Greek it is, great value it is, The Monro's high standards - it certainly is. Hope this isn't a TLDR, much love, W.L.”
The Monro is based at 92 Duke St, Liverpool, L1 5AG. The restaurant is open from 12pm - 10pm Wednesday to Friday, 12pm - 11pm on Saturdays, and 12pm - 10pm on Sundays.
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