Liverpool’s largest Irish bar to open outside Hill Dickinson Stadium in time for Merseyside derby

Football fans heading to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool on November 29 will have a new pre-match destination.

Liverpool's largest Irish bar is set to open directly opposite the Toffees' home ground in time for derby day.

New bar set to open for Merseyside derby

The Irish Quarter is being developed by Andy Laird and his business partner Dan Friend, with the new venue set to have a capacity of 1,200 on its ground floor.

The bar is on a former industrial site on Dock Road, which had been occupied by hydraulic engineering company Fluid Power since the 1980s.

The venue will feature five 10-metre bars and there will also be a dedicated Guinness Lounge and a large events space, providing opportunities to attract customers outside of football.

Speaking ahead of the opening, Laird said: “One of the key things to this place is we’ve got the space for people to come and get served quickly. People want to come in and not be standing there for ages waiting to get their drinks.

“The ground floor covers 1000 sq ft, so we’ll have five festival set-up bars that can cope with the demand. The other main thing is getting the vibe right because we want it to look and feel really authentically Irish.

“We’re going to have Irish singers, fiddlers and entertainment, and music that’s not too loud. We’ll also be doing quiz nights and there’ll be lots of screens all around showing live sports.

“We’d been on the lookout for the right location and space and this just fell in our laps. There’s massive investment going into this area so it’s going to be a great hub of activity and community and we’re right in the middle of that.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind because we only came in two months ago so it’s been a quick turnaround to do a complete fit-out and make it happen as soon as possible.

“We always intended to launch in time for the closest Everton home game and it just happens that’s the derby match on Sunday November 29. We’re a completely neutral destination venue where everyone’s welcome.

“We’re on the Dock Road and we’re fortunate to be facing Hill Dickinson but we’re and Irish bar, not an Everton bar. Whether they’re going to a match or not, we just want people thinking ‘it’s great in there, let’s get back in,’ so that’s what we’re going to try and achieve.”

FGG Says: Bar could become major matchday hotspot

Given the prime location, the new bar could become a very popular destination for both home and away fans ahead of Everton matches.

The Merseyside derby on November 29 should be a perfect first matchday and will provide an early indication of how successful the venue can be.