Liverpool hospitality operator Ma Pub Group is set to take over the city's Café Tabac on 3 December 2025.

Café Tabac will continue to operate under its existing name, with all employees to remain in post.

The parties have not disclosed financial details of the transaction.

Café Tabac was founded in 1974 by Rita Lawrence as an independent, family-run venue.

During the 1980s, it gained a reputation as a bohemian meeting place for Liverpool’s post-punk, new wave and alternative communities, attracting artists, musicians, writers and performers such as Holly Johnson, Pete Burns, Margi Clarke and poet Gerry Potter.

The venue’s menu includes breakfast butties and stacks, scouse [a type of stew], bagels, cocktails and coffee.

Current owner Elaine Clarke stated: "Letting go now comes with a heavy heart. It truly marks the end of an era for me and for my family. But I also know that every great institution evolves, and this is the right moment for its next chapter.”

Ma Pub Group director Iain Hoskins stated: “Being entrusted with Café Tabac is an honour. It has been at the heart of Liverpool’s cultural landscape for decades and holds a huge place in the city’s memory. Like so many others, I have my own stories tied to this place. Tabac is one of the last living reminders of a Liverpool that shaped generations of creativity and character. To become its next custodian is a privilege I do not take lightly. My commitment is simple: it will remain the Tabac Liverpool knows and loves.”

Ma Pub Group’s portfolio in Liverpool comprises Ma Boyle’s Alehouse and Eatery, Tempest on Tithebarn, Nova Scotia and Newington Temple.