British restaurant chain The Ivy is set to establish a new full-service restaurant in a Grade-I listed former Bank of England building on Castle Street, Liverpool, UK.
The plans to convert the currently empty building into a new restaurant have received approval from Liverpool City Council.
As reported in The Caterer, this will be the first Ivy Brasserie branded restaurant to open in Liverpool and the Ivy’s third venue in the northwest of England, following two successful launches in Manchester.
Constructed in 1826, the city centre building has been unoccupied since the 1990s, after the Bank of England ceased operations there in 1987.
The planning proposal for the Liverpool Ivy was submitted by the Pegasus Group on behalf of Troia (UK) Restaurants, the entity behind the Ivy brand.
The planning assessment by Liverpool Council described the site, which was designed by Charles Robert Cockerell in the early 1840s, as “commanding.”
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By GlobalDataAccording to planning documents, the new restaurant will operate seven days a week, serving from breakfast through to dinner.
Due to the building’s listed status, any alterations will be minimal, ensuring the preservation of its historical integrity.
The BBC quotes planners as stating: “Its scale and powerful design language evidence the importance of Liverpool as a highly influential centre of commerce and trade which led to the founding of this first regional outpost of the Bank of England outside of London.
“Internally the building has an austere character, a contrast with many other banks of Liverpool where wealth is flaunted with fine marbles, gilding and lavish decoration.”
The original Ivy, which opened in London’s West End in 1917, has long been known for its high-profile clientele.
Since 2014, the brand has expanded significantly, with 40 Ivy spin-offs opening across the UK and eight under the Ivy Asia brand.