Concerns were raised after my first visit that I needed to put to rest
Christopher is the Echo’s Senior Life reporter covering restaurants, bars, shopping, events, concerts, and shows around Merseyside. Alongside his current role, Christopher led Liverpool’s Eurovision Song Contest 2023 coverage as its dedicated reporter. Christopher joined the Echo in 2022 after years of freelance writing focusing on pop culture and entertainment.
Concerns were raised after my first visit that I needed to put to rest(Image: christopher megrath)
A new Irish pub promising to “roll back pricing to what you expect from a local pub” left me speechless after delivering on that promise. Two months later, I called back in to see if the pub had gone back on its word or kept it.
Temple Tavern moved into the Cavern Quarter in June, located in the Stanley Street premises previously occupied by fashion house Reiss. My first visit was on Friday, July 4, only a few days after the opening.
I popped in at 1.30pm and was taken aback by the gorgeous interiors and friendly service, but most of all by the promise of cheap prices. During the visit, I went straight to the bar after a quick snoop around to put the pricing claims to the test.
I asked the bartender, who welcomed me with a smile, for a pint of Madri. I said I’d pay for my pint on my card, before asking how much it was.
With a smile, she told me: “£3.50, please.” I was in a state of shock. I asked if she was serious and she was. Most pints of lager hit me at around £5 – £5.50, more sometimes depending on venue and day.
Temple Tavern at the Cavern Quarter Liverpool(Image: christopher megrath)
I asked the bartender to confirm the price and she did. So I paid £3.50 for a pint and scurried away as if I’d just rinsed the entire company of its worth. Temple Tavern actually managed to roll back its pricing against my local. I could’ve died with shock.
After relaying the experience to friends, doubt set in that the low price might only be in place to entice new customers during the opening period. The hypothesis made sense so I decided to put it to the test.
I made a point to call in at the same time and same day almost two months later – Friday at 1:30pm – and order another Madri. The new bartender, who differed from the previous as a man of few words, showed me the card reader, which displayed the total: “£3.50.”
Despite concerns the pub was chancing its arm with a slow-burning, rising price point, the cost of a pint remains the same two months later at the tail-end of summer.
This may not be the case forever but the fact stands now: Temple Tavern hasn’t gone back on its promise to roll back pricing to match your local.
Whether that will persist for the rest of the year is yet to be seen but at least it wasn’t a cheap cash grab for the opening. Well done, Temple.
Irrespective of the price, the pub is quite remarkable. Even though Temple Tavern is a new arrival, and so you’d expect it to be in top condition anyways, it was still noticeably so even on my second visit.
Temple Tavern at the Cavern Quarter Liverpool(Image: christopher megrath)
Growing up in Belfast I’ve become accustomed to spotting an authentic Irish pub from a mile away, which you can usually tell by the name and decor. Temple Tavern ditches the clichéd Irish forename and surname for an unremarkable title you don’t think twice about, bagging it a point on the authenticity scale.
The interiors opt for a dark, classic style with exposed brickwork and load bearing metal beams, crimson paint lashed across the walls, and wood being the finish of choice for everything from the doors and banisters to panelling and ceiling.
Temple Tavern at the Cavern Quarter Liverpool(Image: christopher megrath)
A number of clocks, trinkets and bookshelves decorate the walls with an ornate fireplace stealing focus on the upper level. Hanging chandeliers and intricate glass bulbs boast a warm glow that barely ricochets a little light around a room already lit with massive windows.
The venue is spacious and welcoming despite its dark atmosphere. It’d be perfect for a moody drink in late autumn or winter.
You’ll also feel right at home if you’re keen on ear-splittingly loud live acoustic music in the evening. Temple Tavern is a solid addition to the area.