Liverpool’s former most ‘Instagrammable’ restaurant could become darts club

A venue that once held the title of Liverpool’s ‘most Instagrammable restaurant’ could be turned into a social darts club.

In August last year, it was confirmed that the former Boujee restaurant at Kenyon Steps within Liverpool One had shut down unexpectedly - less than two years after first opening its doors. The business listed Real Housewives of Cheshire star Lystra Adams as a director.

Now, proposals have been put forward to Liverpool Council’s licensing authority for the site to become the latest venue under the Flight Club umbrella.

The franchise has 19 venues across the UK, America and Australia, having been set up in 2012 by two founders who saw a group enjoying a game of darts in a pub in Devon. The first venue opened in 2015 in Shoreditch, before expanding across the country.

In its application to Liverpool Council, the business seeks to vary the existing premises licence and amend the layout of the first and ground floors to accommodate the new set up. There are no proposed changes to the licensable activities or opening hours. This would allow the business to open from 8am to 2.30am daily, selling alcohol from 11am to 2am.

Representations on the plans can be received until November 4. Should enough objections be received, the proposals could go before a licensing and gambling sub-committee.

Boujee closure

It was revealed last year the business that ran the all-pink Boujee restaurant and bar in Liverpool One owed more than £3m when it collapsed into administration. The restaurant opened in December 2020. Set across two floors and covering around 9,600 sq ft, the restaurant featured a giant candy area, themed ‘pool party’ and ‘Alice in Boujeeland’ areas. The Boujee business also had sites in Manchester and Chester.

Its Manchester site opened in Bridge Street in May 2021 but closed in October 2022 shortly after Lystra Adams resigned as a director. Its Chester venue opened in November 2021 in Pepper Street and was acquired by one of the firm’s founding directors in a move that secured the jobs of all 32 members of staff.

Administrators Dow Schofield Watts Business Recovery said the company operated at a loss during that time as the “majority of the Covid specific support packages were unavailable to the company due to the infancy of the business.” The administrators added that throughout late 2021 and early 2022, the Liverpool venue was “failing to achieve its expected turnover” and that the company accumulated arrears of rent with the landlord and also fell into arrears with HMRC over VAT and PAYE payments.