A Liverpool city centre restaurant said while a “journey has ended”, their community is stronger than ever
Kin Liu runs Chamber 36 on Berry Street with his business partner Shaun Quek(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
A Liverpool restaurant has confirmed the future of the business after announcing a venue would be closing. Chamber 36 is a Chinese small plates restaurant and bar with two sites in the city – one on Berry Street and one on Smithdown Road.
Chamber 36 was originally opened by Kin Liu and Shaun Quek, who met at Kung-Fu practice. They decided to launch their modern restaurant venture together, with a vision to breathe new life into Chinatown with their original Berry Street site.
Kin’s family formerly ran The Arch restaurant before he took over the family business and transformed it into Chamber 36, giving up a successful career as a lawyer to pursue his passion for authentic Chinese food.
The Liu family also ran Chinatown mainstay Chilli Chilli, but Kin said he felt “something needed to change” in the area to reflect the shifting preferences of Liverpool’s foodies.
Chamber Thirty Six on Smithdown Road
However, fast-forward to this month, and the business announced it had made the “difficult decision” to close one of its sites. In an Instagram post from Thursday, September 11, the team said: “Due to the current climate in hospitality, we have decided to close our Smithdown Road site. We want to thank everyone who has supported us here over the past four years.”
Now, the team has confirmed the Berry Street venue, which has stood in the shadow of Chinatown since 2016, will be its priority moving forward.
Kin told the ECHO: “We can confirm our Smithdown Road venue will be closing with Saturday, September 20, being our final day.
Chamber Thirty Six on Smithdown Road
“This was a difficult decision, but due to rising operational costs and the ongoing challenges from the cost-of-living crisis, we had no choice but to cease trading at this location.
“Our team worked hard to bring a new concept to the area post-lockdown, and we’re grateful for the support we received from our customers. While the journey on Smithdown Road has ended, our commitment to our community and brand is stronger than ever.
“We are now focusing on our Chinatown venue, we have just celebrated our ninth year including a recent brand refresh which has seen us thriving since launching in June and are excited about the future.
Inside Chamber 36
“We’ll continue our work with fellow businesses to help regenerate the area and be a part of its redevelopment. Our dedication to innovation remains, and we look forward to collaborating with others in the future.
“As for the future, we’re always on the lookout for the right opportunity to expand, whether that’s another venue or a new concept. We appreciate the support of our customers and look forward to seeing you at our Chinatown location.”
Last year, Chamber 36’s vibrant cocktail list caught the eye of industry experts and the venue is celebrating being awarded the best in the country.
The Golden Chopsticks Awards is an awards ceremony which recognises East and South East Asian cuisine across the UK, celebrating the contribution of restaurateurs and food businesses to the UK catering industry and championing the food heroes working within it.