As Liverpool FC could win the Premier League title this weekend, Anfield’s businesses are preparing for one of their busiest days ever
Peter Schriewersmann, who runs Hotel Anfield(Image: Liverpool Echo)
There is a buzz in the air this week among Anfield’s businesses. Liverpool could win the Premier League tomorrow evening if they avoid defeat against Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow at their famous home.
The Reds winning trophies is nothing new of course. But when the team has won silverware in the last few years, it has been away from Anfield.
Liverpool’s last three trophies have been won at Wembley with victories in the League Cup in 2022 and 2024 as well as the 2022 FA Cup. Their sixth Champions League was clinched at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid in 2019.
In 2020, they did win their first league title in 30 years. It was obvious only a few months in the 2019/20 season that Liverpool would be winning it.
But then the Covid pandemic arrived and the subsequent lockdown meant the team lifted the trophy in front of an empty stadium, with pubs and bars operating table service only with limits on how many people could visit.
Peter Schriewersmann, 41, who runs Hotel Anfield on Anfield Road, was disappointed that they could not make the most of it. His venue contains an indoor bar, along with a large outdoor space with a big screen and a massive tent where fans can watch the game from too. Peter had just opened in 2020, weeks before all football games were put on hold.
Speaking to the ECHO, Peter, who lives in the city centre, said: “We were robbed of our moment of glory. It was 30 years since we last won the league and that issue robbed us of celebrating as a community.
“We bought the hotel just over five years ago, one month before the global pandemic started. We had three games and we were shut down. We’d put all of our money, all of our effort into this property and it really felt like, what do we do?”
This sentiment is shared by Danny Cleys, 40, from Maghull, who is the general manager of The Sandon. His pub has been around far longer than Hotel Anfield.
Back in 1892, it was run by Liverpool businessman John Houlding. After his involvement with Everton FC turned sour over a dispute about rent, established Liverpool FC, with the new team using the Blues’ former stadium of Anfield for their matches.
The club was formed by Houlding in The Sandon. Located on Oakfield Road a stone’s throw away from the stadium, the pub is packed on matchdays.
Daniel Cleys, general manager of The Sandon(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Describing itself as the birthplace for LFC, it now has a mural on the side of the venue on Houlding Street paying tribute to its former owner.
Danny remembers the disappointment of 2020 well. He told the ECHO: “At the time, I was working behind the bar. It was a massive kick in the teeth. The Sandon is literally where it all began. It’s like a magnet for Liverpool fans, pulling everyone in.”
Thankfully, the picture this year is looking far more optimistic, with both Peter and Danny preparing for one of their busiest weekends yet.
Peter said: “The match against Spurs is going to be mega. We’ve got a decent sized community now as a hotel, but we get that many people contacting us that have never been saying, ‘can I just walk in? I want to be at Hotel Anfield this weekend.’ It’s going to be on another level. We’re staffed up to a level we’ve never got to in five years.”
“We’ve got people from European countries, the Danes, the Belgians, the Germans, the Swiss, the Spanish. We’ve also got guys from Egypt and Kuala Lumpur.
“It’s insane. And that’s on top of all the regulars and the Scousers we have coming. It’s going to be a spectacle for Anfield.”
Danny added: “You can already feel the buzz around the venue. Even passers-by have noticed the red hype. We’ve been inundated with enquiries for this Sunday. The phone has been ringing off the hook. We’ve got large screens indoors and food trucks in the outdoor space.
“We’ve literally been watching the fixtures for months working out when they could win it. General orders have been doubled, staffing has been doubled, it’s going to be a really busy day.”
Entry to both Hotel Anfield and The Sandon is free, with space for walk-ins on the day. But it’s not just pubs and Liverpool fans who are excited either. Homebaked Bakery, also on Oakfield Road, sees queues out the door normally when Liverpool are playing and staff are expecting it to be even busier this weekend.
Angela McKay of Homebaked Bakery(Image: Danny Rigg/Liverpool Echo)
Angela McKay, the operations manager, lives in Anfield herself. She’s not a huge football fan but considers herself an Everton supporter, as do the majority of staff who work there.
Talking about what this weekend will mean for Homebaked, Angela said: ”Most people and businesses around here are getting geared up that it’s going to be a busy weekend. It’s a while since they’ve won the league.
“I think people are looking forward to celebrating. As a business, we’re happy that they’re doing well because us and other small and independent businesses will gain from that.”
Homebaked is open all year round, serving the wider Anfield community. Angela praised the Liverpool fans whose constant praise for their pies makes sure they can stay open when the reds aren’t playing too.
Angela said: “I’m not a big football fan but talking to people who come to the match and people who are Liverpool supporters, they’re looking forward to it.
Fans pack inside Homebaked ahead of the Liverpool’s match against Leicester in 2019(Image: James Maloney/Liverpool Echo)
“We want to thank the supporters who come in and help keep us afloat when there’s no matches on because then they’re all part of what helps us keep a community business which pays its staff the living wage.
“The tour guides, people who work at Liverpool and just people who go to the matches will always tell others, go and visit Homebaked.
“People sometimes think that being a community business means everything should be free, but that’s not how it works because you’ve got to pay rent, the electric and the staff’s wages. I’m happy for the Liverpool fans that they’re doing well – and that’s coming from an Evertonian.”
Liverpool could have been confirmed as champions on Wednesday night if second place Arsenal had lost to Crystal Palace. However, Angela is relieved that Liverpool have the chance to win it in front of fans on Sunday.
Even if Liverpool aren’t confirmed as champions on Sunday, Danny believes it will be a special occasion whenever it happens. Danny said: “On Wednesday night for the Arsenal v Crystal Palace game, we had the front of the pub open.
“Some Liverpool fans had come down from Cornwall because they thought Liverpool were going to win it that evening. We’re such a family oriented place and it’ll be a massive celebration when it comes.”