Yahoo News Lost Liverpool city centre bar was known for its 'Mad Mondays'
A lost Liverpool bar that once called the city centre home was known for its 'Mad Mondays' for years. Located on Fleet Street in Concert Square, Australian themed pub and restaurant Walkabout first opened in the city at the end of 2001.
Housed in a warehouse over 200 years old, many will remember it had two levels and a split level dancefloor. A very sports dominated venue, traditional Aboriginal artwork was part of the décor, as well as Australian sports memorabilia.
Inside, you could find tributes to cricketer Shane Warne and rugby union star John Eales and the upper level also had a red kangaroo mural on the wall. When it came to watching matches and events, sports fans didn't miss a thing as there was small screens set above the urinals in the men's toilets, the ECHO previously reported.
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When it first opened, the the ECHO reported how customers could buy everything from Victoria Bitter in a can for £2.50 to Crown Lager in a bottle also for £2.50, a double vodka and coke for £3.90 and more. You could also buy meals such as Walkabout's "Crocodile and Kangaroo steak and chips" for around £6.50.
The Walkabout chain still exists today elsewhere in the country. But many will remember the days when a branch called the city centre home.
After it opened, Chris Matthews, 23, from Bootle, said: "I've only been a couple of times but already I'm hooked as the atmosphere is great." The Australian themed bar quickly popular among students for its party atmosphere.
Many will remember it being well known for its 'Mad Monday' events, allowing customers to buy one drink and get another for free whenever a bell rung at the bar. You could also grab some reasonably priced food and catch the game.
These images, courtesy of our archives, capture moments at Walkabout through the years. From staff to customers enjoying different events, many will remember heading there for a night out or to watch a match.
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Here, you can see staff from Walkabout ahead of the Rugby World Cup final in 2006 and England fans celebrating the Ashes in the Australian Walkabout bar in 2007. One photograph also captures Liverpool fans celebrating the Reds winning the penalty shoot-out against Cardiff City at Wembley for the Carling Cup Final in 2012.
In later years, the venue also revamped its menu, offering everything from Freakshakes - which were really popular at the time - to grill stackers, seafood platters, new cocktails and much more. But in two decades in the city, the club did make headlines.
Walkabout faced losing its licence in 2016 after Merseyside Police raised concerns over alleged violence involving bouncers. Police attended a city council licensing review hearing to highlight 10 separate incidents at Walkabout in Concert Square but the conclusion was that the licence was allowed to remain intact, with a condition imposed on the bar that they must not contract the security company used again.
But the following year in November 2017, it was announced that last orders were too be called at Walkabout in Liverpool. To say goodbye to Walkabout in style, staff said there would be one last hurrah on New Year's Eve that year.
At the time, Joanne Humphreys at Walkabout told the Echo: "We've been here twenty years but it's time to say goodbye. It really is the end of an era; as word is getting around about us closing, so many people are sharing their memories from here."
Following speculation, in January 2018 the ECHO confirmed the venue would reopen under new ownership. New owners remained tight-lipped over the future of the site, but Pub Invest Group added the former Walkabout in Concert Square to its ever growing portfolio and reopened it as Einstein in May that year.
The Bavaria-inspired bier haus is set across several floors with three main bars, as well as an outdoor balcony. At the time, Ken Myton, general manager of the site, said: "This project has been in the works for some months now and it’s great to now see the venue take shape.
"We will be creating over 90 new jobs ranging from part-time to full-time roles including bar managers and chefs. Einstein will bring something completely different to Concert Square from our design concept to our vast range of beers."
As for Walkabout, the chain still exists today under Stonegate Pubs. You can find branches in the likes of Manchester, Cardiff, Leeds and Birmingham.
