'Institution' city centre bar to reopen with new owners this week

The Pen Factory pictured in 2014
-Credit: (Image: Liverpool Echo)


A much-loved Liverpool bar will reopen under new ownership this week. The Pen Factory on Hope Street in Liverpool city centre's Georgian Quarter was established in 2014 by Paddy Byrne, who had previously run The Everyman Bistro.

Paddy and his business partner Dave Scott set up The Everyman Bistro in 1970 when they were young graduates. Founded in the basement beneath The Everyman Theatre, the bistro developed a reputation as the heart of the city's arts scene.

The bistro closed in 2011 due to the refurbishment of the theatre above. The Pen Factory continued in its ilk and became a meeting place for creatives in the city.

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The ECHO reported last month that Paddy had sold The Pen Factory and was retiring from the hospitality industry. The bar was bought by the Small Hands company, which is run by husband and wife Dominic and Fiona Hornsby, and was closed temporarily for a refurbishment.

Dominic and Fiona also run popular city centre pubs The Bridewell in Campbell Square and The Denbigh Castle on Hackins Hey, just off Dale Street. At the time of the sale, Fiona told the ECHO: "We’ll be serving the same sort of beers as we do at the Denbigh and Bridewell. Not much is going to change; there’ll be some decorating but not a huge amount because it’s an institution.

"We’ve known Paddy for years, he’s a legend and the nicest person. We want to keep the same crowd and build on it - our staff say the customers are amazing. The beer garden is ace and doesn’t need much work at all - Paddy’s planted everything beautifully. We've retained the entire team, who are all absolutely lovely."

In an update posted on X (formerly Twitter) today, the team confirmed that The Pen Factory will reopen this week. A short message read: "Super excited to be opening our doors this Friday".

The Pen Factory is found at 13 Hope Street, L1 9BQ