A bar which became one of Liverpool's best-known and trendiest venues was loved by local celebs and those wanting to be seen.
Once one of the most high profile bars in the city, Babycream opened in the Royal Albert Dock in 2003. It opened at a time in the Noughties when a night out on Liverpool's waterfront became something of a status symbol.
Babycream 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.
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The venue combined the kudos and energy of the global clubbing giant alongside the hospitality of a trendy restaurant. The restaurant part was a perfect place for a mid-week date night or business lunch, sporting a three course menu and a glass of wine for just £12.
But for many, Babycream was also a dress up and be seen kind of place catering for the city's uber-rich. A bottle of Dom Perignon Rose on a night out there would set you back a cool £265.
The dockland 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.
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But it was on a weekend the bar-cum-restaurant really came alive and lived up to its Cream credentials. Resident and competing DJs would appear across the weekend to offer the bar's revellers glamour and pulsating music selections.
Babycream regularly appeared in lists of the UK's top nightlife venues, and as such, became a beacon for celebs and sports stars. In 2006, Liverpool FC stars came out to play as the celebrity nightspot hosted an exclusive party for the Reds squad and their partners to let their hair down.
The team swapped the football pitch for the dancefloor as part of a swish team-building bash. It was the year Liverpool had made the FA cup final, which they later won beating West Ham on penalties, and club captain Steven Gerrard had won the PFA player of the year.
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But it would be unfair to say that Babycream only catered for celebs or those with deep pockets. Many people remember it as a place where they could shake off the working week and enjoy a night out with a touch of glamour.
One review on the beerintheevening.com website in 2007 said: "A place to be seen and so is visited by some of Liverpool's beautiful people (oh and me!). So it comes as no surprise that the staff are first rate... just don't expect a cheap night out. Weeknights are dead so best time for a 'cosy' drink or a chat with mates, but weekends - manic!"
Another reviewer said: "This should be really pretentious, but in fact is great. I really like the décor and while it is not cheap you don't ever go down to the Albert Dock for cheap ale. [You] can burn your own CDs while you sup a pint, although quite why you'd want to has never been satisfactorily explained to me."
On the review site, Yelp, another person posted: "I think the best factor for me is that Babycream is just that little bit 'out of the way,' and, as a result, this means that the clientele is good and there are very few people looking for trouble. In fact, you're far more likely to spot a Premiership footballer than any riff-raff!
"If huge disco balls and well-dressed young professionals are your thing then there are few better places to come than this bar! Oh, and they play great chilled-out music!"
Another reviewer said: "The venue consists of two floors; both offering complete diversity. On one floor there is even a girls' powder room. Babycream must be practically proud of this they say it is 'especially for girls to check their make-up and have girly chats'."
While another posted: "This trendy, glam filled, club/bar is a gem. Set on the docks it attracts the client with deeper pockets but is worth just going for a few drinks just to experience it."
Does Babycream awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.
Sadly, by the 2010s, many of the established names on the Albert Dock had moved on or closed following tough years of recession. And while the Albert Dock still boasts an eclectic portfolio of cocktail bars and high profile restaurants, its stature throughout the 1990s and 2000s remains a golden period for nightlife in the city, and Babycream was certainly a place to turn heads.
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