A lost Liverpool venue quickly became "the" place to go in the city centre.
The Living Room was one of Liverpool’s most popular nightlife venues, with 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.
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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, and is now home to restaurant Dash and XOXO nightclub.
In a former life, the club below The Living Room - Mosquito - used to be the famous SHE club.
The Victoria Street club was a city hot spot until its closure in 1989.
Many will remember former owner Mike Coburn, who also used to own the Continental and the Hippodrome.
By the turn of the century, The Living Room opened and was designed to " make you feel at home at any time of the day, be it a light lunch, family meal or private party."
Not particularly living room-like in style, the decor was very modern with expanses of dark wood, big windows, plants and candlelit tables.
At lunchtimes, it was said to be an airy refuge for Victoria Street's younger set and at night being full of lively clubbers, cocktail drinkers, the occasional soap star and the footballing fraternity.
In June 2000, the Mosquito bar and downstairs Vampire Suite opened, boasting leather seats and funky music, with the basement bar and member's only club quickly becoming one of the city's most trendy venues.
The Living Room had a guest list other restaurants would die for – Katie Price, Steven and Alex Gerrard, Coleen and Wayne Rooney, Liz McClarnon, Westlife, Rio Ferdinand, Dirk Kuyt, Abbey Clancy, Sheree Murphy and Samuel L Jackson were all been spotted there.
Paolo Nutini, Katie Melua, Chris De Burgh, Jamie Cullum, Blake and China Crisis all played there.
Carolyn Hughes did the PR for Living Room and Mosquito and said the venue proved "incredibly popular" from the day it opened its doors.
She told the ECHO: "The Living Room Liverpool opened in 2000 and very quickly became ‘the’ place to go.
"Opened by legendary hospitality Guru Tim Bacon, he said he wanted The Living Room to be like a village green in the city centre – where you would feel comfortable and somewhere where you would always see someone you knew.
"The venue proved incredibly popular from the day it opened it’s doors and catered for everything.
"Ladies who lunch, loved it – I started business ‘Captains Tables’ there and business leaders shook hands on some massive deals in that building.
"Liverpool’s Gliteratti loved it and my phone would ring constantly for bookings and guest listing."
Carolyn described the interior as "stylish" and was "different to anything that had been opened in Liverpool previously."
She said staff were highly trained and the guest experience was always the main focus.
Mosquito and Vampire Suite opened soon after and Carolyn said they also offered 'Vampire Gold Cards' which were "almost collectable" at one point.
She said it was also the place many footballers would take their partners to after training and claims it's also the spot where Abbey Clancy met husband Peter Crouch.
Carolyn said: "The Living Room heyday was before everyone was armed with a mobile phone, so what went on there often stayed there. I didn’t keep a diary, but I certainly have many fantastic memories from one of the most fantastic venues Liverpool has ever had.
"I remember the night Chris De Burgh came in for dinner and stayed until the very end of the evening, then sat at the piano and did a mini concert for the staff and a few remaining guests including ‘Lady in Red’ and 'Patricia the Stripper."
In its day, Carolyn hosted many events such as fashion shows with Philip Armstrong, jewellery showcases with Boodles, photo shoots, ladies lunches, charity events and more and wishes "she would have kept a diary."
She said: "The Living Room has been a massive part of many lives in the city, many of the bartenders are now the owners of some of the best bars in the city, the servers and managers went on to open their own restaurants.
"I think it is very much missed to this day. It is often spoken about. Many tried to replicate it – but there was and will ever be one Living Room.
"The Living Room has left me with enough memories, tales and funny anecdotes to last a lifetime. I don’t think any other venue has ever worked it’s way into the fabric of the city quite like that venue did.
"It literally transformed Victoria Street. It was a magnificent building and if the walls could talk - well let’s just say it would be amusing to say the least."
In the past, the best-sellers at The Living Room included fillet steaks, crispy duck pancakes and fuss-free steak, ale and mushroom pie, with chips.
The main restaurant had 115 covers, some on big smart sofas, while the entire floor could around 400 guests.
Mosquito was available for private hire for up to 300 people and beneath was private members' bar, the Vampire Suite, which had space for 50 seated, 100 standing.
It had blood red velvet padded walls combined with plush banquette seating and dusky lighting emphasise "the exclusivity of the space. "
Stylist Lorraine McCulloch said the venue was a "firm favourite" to many and if anything "fabulous" was happening, it would usually take place at The Living Room.
She said: "I had my 40th birthday party in Vampire Suite, and I was one of the first to have a private party there. Many of our friends like Gary Mavers and Mike and Rowena McCartney came along and had a great time.
"The Living Room was also a favourite of mine for fashion shoots and I did lots there for OK Magazine and Hello Magazine, as well as The Liverpool ECHO.
"It was a firm favourite for many a lunch and many a night out. If anything fabulous was happening, it usually happened at The Living Room."
In 2010, The Living Room also underwent a £200k revamp.
But in 2014, the once popular bar and restaurant closed after almost 15 years in business.
At the time, PR Carolyn Hughes announced the closure on social media. She said: "So the Living Room closed its doors yesterday calling time on 14 years. My client for circa 10 years and what an amazing time it was!
What are your memories of The Living Room and Mosquito? Let us know in the comments section below.
"So many people tried to replicate the ‘third place’ mentality but never quite managed it!
"I have never seen a Bar/Restaurant come close to what the Living Room had in its heyday, with a great food menu in a 120 seater restaurant and a great bar offering with live music etc, and the club downstairs!
"RIP Living Room Liverpool - Thanks for an amazing ride."
The ECHO had been unable to contact anyone from Living Room upon its closure.
By 2016, The Only Way is Essex favourite Sugar Hut opened to much fanfare in the Victoria Street site.
A blend of British dining room, cocktail lounge and two clubs in one place, it officially opened to the public November 25 that year.
Among those who attended the launch were Love Island's Scott Thomas and Kady McDermott, actress Chelsee Healey and Blue's Duncan James.
At the time, Terry Pullen, Sugar Hut Group's chief executive, said: "Collectively, our strengths and experience inspire Sugar Hut Liverpool to be the new standard of modern hospitality and hopefully sets the benchmark for a new generation of venues both opening in the UK and internationally."
Mr Pullen also said his team purposefully chose Liverpool for a branch as "it has a similar social scene to Essex."
The business opened with 34 booth tables, make-up and powder rooms for the selfie lovers and even phone charging facilities.
It's restaurant also featured something for everyone with dishes such as steak, lobster and burgers, as well as Sunday roasts and light bites on offer.
Known for its showbiz clientelle, the celeb hotspot welcomed the likes of Joey Essex, Big Brother’s Nikki Graeme, Natasha Hamilton and Ray Quinn.
The bar also made headlines when then LFC star Philippe Coutinho joined team-mate Lucas Leiva on the DJ decks for the club’s end of season party.
But by February 2018, Sugar Hut shut its doors after its team announced it wished to focus on other venues.
A statement issued by management at the time read: "Liverpool Sugar Hut is closing its doors to focus on its highly acclaimed flagship business in other areas.
"After being enthusiastically welcomed by the city the local team created an award winning, safe and well reputed entertainment venue, bringing hugely positive regeneration to the Victoria Street area.
"Sugar Hut want to thank their staff, clientele and the community of Liverpool for their support and are proud to have been a part of such a great city’s continued growth."
Later that year, the venue was transformed into Dash restaurant and XOXO nightclub.
Both owned by The 15 Group, the basement was first decorated with futuristic state-of-the-art lighting effects, a black and gold colour theme, and a £100,000 Void sound system.
What do you miss most about the past? Attractions, lost venues or perhaps the way of life. Take a look at our nostalgia survey
XOXO launched with a sell-out party weekend and owners revealed that booths were snapped up in less than 24 hours and the guest list closed early.
The launch weekend was clubbers’ first chance to see the results of months of remodeling work and the opening party featured guest DJ Liam Hincks joining XOXO residents Zeke and CC, drinks specials and entertainment.
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The restaurant Dash later opened above XOXO, boasting elegant contemporary dining with Pan Asian influences and lunchtime and evening menus focusing on large and small plates.
With a colour scheme of blossom and teal contrasts with a bold black and white diamond flooring throughout, it also has a DJ box alongside two semi-circular feature booths and private dining room available for private parties.
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