The city centre venue is fondly remembered for ‘having it all’
The launch of Newz Live, a music night at Newz bar in Liverpool, as The Grants perform – July 2, 2008(Image: Photo by Colin Lane)
In the new year, Liverpool city centre’s New Zealand House will be home to a different brand. In just a matter of days, the world’s biggest Hooters will be no more as the team behind it look to change to a concept that is more “reflective” on the city.
The Water Street venue is no stranger to change having been home to several different establishment. However, one thing that runs consistent throughout the years is that it has always been loved by famous famous. Back in the noughties, New Zealand House’s Newz Bar was where all the celebs wanted to hang out – and so did we.
One of the city centre’s best known bars, the hotspot quickly became an integral part of the entertainment scene, regularly attracting local A-listers and those visiting the city.
It’s glittering guest list included everyone from Lady Gaga and Ne-Yo, to Coleen Rooney, various members of Girls Aloud and countless Premier League footballers.
Liverpool fashion show held at the Newz Bar, Water Street. Alex Gerrard is taken onto the catwalk. March 25, 2008(Image: Photo by Andrew Teebay)
Newz Bar closed its doors in 2014, but is still remembered as a “legendary” Liverpool institution that “had it all”. It’s now been a quarter of a century since businessmen Paul and Julian Flanagan launched Newz Bar and since then the site has been home to three different restaurants.
The Flanagan brothers invested £1m transforming a former office equipment shop into the trendy city centre brasserie style bar. The venue opened in 2000 and proved to be a huge success, becoming the place to be for the city’s glitterati.
City starlets Jennifer Ellison and Alex Curran were regular faces on Saturday nights, along with Hollyoaks actors and a legion of Premier League footballers.
Carolyn Hughes did the PR for Living Room and Mosquito at the time and shared many celebrity clients with Newz Bar, seeing guests party between the venues.
Liverpool vs Essex Fashion off at Newz Bar as the fashion show takes centre stage. September 23, 2011(Image: Picture by Gareth Jones)
She previously told the ECHO: “Newz Bar was definitely one of Liverpool’s highest profile and most successful bars. It was a fabulous space and hosted many an after party and launch events.
“They also played host to Downtown Liverpool in Business ‘Sexy Networking’ events. These events definitely put networking events onto the map. From celebrities, to footballers, models to WAGS, weekend party-goers to corporate entertaining – Newz Bar had it all.”
Over the years, Newz Bar was undoubtedly at the centre of many memories. But Carolyn said she still remembers one particular moment today.
She said: “I was actually in the Newz Bar the day the planes went into the Twin Towers in New York. It was surreal – I was having lunch with John Kilgallon from Harrington Street Chambers and the Newz Bar had big TV screens all around. We both thought it was a movie trailer at first. Then the realisation of what we were watching kicked in.”
Exterior shot of Newz Bar in Liverpool. October 27, 2010(Image: Photo by James Maloney)
In 2004, a then-Alex Curran, now Alex Gerrard, celebrated her 24th birthday at the venue, sporting red hot pants and Stella McCartney boots.
The following year, actress Jennifer Ellison was treated to a surprise bash for her 22nd birthday, where tables were covered in rose petals, sparkling crystals and ice buckets containing magnums of Laurent Perrier Rose. A few years after this saw Harvey from So Solid Crew and Liverpool footballer Emile Heskey stop by to soak up the atmosphere.
In the mid noughties, Newz Bar continued to attract celebrities from Merseyside and beyond, such as US band The Killers who spent the night in the bar’s VIP area after the 2008 MTV European Music Awards.
Similarly, the following year, American RnB superstar Ne-Yo sent party-goers into meltdown when he showed up at Newz Bar to perform a handful of hits and Lady Gaga wowed, performing a set of five songs at the venue after supporting The Pussycat Dolls at the Echo Arena.
Paul Flanagan who owned the Newz Bar on Water Street.
That same year, 2009, the bar was picked to host a speech by the then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who addressed an audience of Labour Party activists, city business leaders and public sector figures.
Frank McKenna, chief executive of Downtown in Business, previously said: “The Newz Bar was a regular haunt for me back in the day, and Downtown in Business utilised the facility on many occasions.
“Most memorably we hosted an event with the Prime Minister Gordon Brown in the venue. We packed the place out, and Gordon addressed a few hundred Scousers from the infamous Newz Bar balcony.
“David Moyes was among the guests, and it was a really great night. Downtown also celebrated its third or fourth anniversary there too – and we did a couple of photo shoots in the Newz too. Great memories, great times.”
American pop and R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo performed at Newz Bar in Water Street in 2007
But later in the year the bar ran into licensing problems, after a spate of violence. The ECHO previously reported how there were reports of fights, and on one occasion a former Liverpool FC trainee was stabbed. The owners beefed up security, installing a knife arch, and managed to hold on to their licence.
In 2011, the bar hosted a Liverpool v Essex Fashion Show, while Atomic Kitten star Liz McClarnon spent her 27th birthday sipping cocktails in the bar. The following year, stars such as Rebecca Ferguson headed straight to Newz after the 2012 MOBO Awards.
But in 2014, Newz Bar closed its door – and now only memories and photos of it remain.
Carolyn recalled how she thinks the city misses venues like Newz Bar and Living Room, which were places “you could go for lunch and still be there at midnight”.
Pussycat Dolls after show party. Lady Gaga leaving the Newz Bar in 2009. Picture Simon Rogers
She said: “They made the most of the space and hosted everything from fashion shows, to premieres. They were a complete destination venue and built up a vast, loyal and regular clientele.
“I know many people who met at Newz Bar and married and so many people have celebrated special occasions there, made life-changing decisions there, sealed some of the city’s biggest business deals there. It is legendary on the Liverpool social scene and those type of venues are very much missed in the city.”
In 2014, businessman Riad Erraji moved in, transforming the site into the trendy restaurant known as Amanzi. The eatery launched just before Christmas with a glamorous VIP opening party where the guest list included Alex Gerrard, Hollyoaks cast members Sophie Austin and Nikki Sanderson, former Desperate Scousewives star Amanda Harrington and Big Brother’s Mark Byron.
The popular haunt for celebrities re-opened its doors with around 400 VIP guests in attendance after undergoing a multi-million pound transformation into a “truly special restaurant”.
Nicola Roberts and Cheryl outside Newz Bar
At the time Mr Erraji told The ECHO: “We’re really pleased to be breathing life back into the former Newz Bar, which was once at the heart of Liverpool’s nightlife.”
The interior was dripping with state-of-the-art chandeliers where customers could choose from a menu including a 16oz Chateaubriand steak for £59.95 and pricey cocktails.
The restaurant urged diners to “leave the world behind and prepare to have your senses ignited” and in its time it attracted more famous faces such as Danielle Lloyd and brothers Ryan and Adam Thomas.
But despite Amanzi briefly flourishing and becoming popular with city footballers, boxers and telly stars, it closed toward the end of 2015. In the summer of 2016, it was announced that the site was to reopen as District House and there was yet another glittering launch party after Know Restaurants Water Street Limited invested £1m in transforming New Zealand House into a new restaurant and bar.
Former Desperate Scousewives star Amanda Harrington at the opening of the new Amanzi restaurant in Water Street, Liverpool(Image: Adam Johns)
District House featured space for 600, seating for 400 and served food and drinks from morning through to the night. But by January 2017, it closed just six months after opening after owners Know Restaurants Water Street Limited (KRWSL) went into liquidation, seeing 30 workers lose their jobs as a result of the closure.
At the time, Andy Duckworth from the company said: “We have had to make the decision to end our management of District House, we have had a great run and regret that we have had to take this action.
“As the management contract between ourselves and the lease holders for District House has come to an end, we cannot say whether the restaurant will be reopening in 2017. We have informed customers who are affected by the decision and are working with our friends in the hospitality industry to find suitable alternative venues.”
Fast-forward to 2022 and Hooters would launch its biggest site in the world in the vacant New Zealand House on Water Street.
Since then, the company has had a turbulent rollercoaster of a journey for one reason or another, including staff complaining their tips and service charge were being kept by the company to pay bills, and in light of this, last week saw the team confirm to the ECHO that a fresh start is needed.
The Hooters in Liverpool is the biggest in the world(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Director Barry Morris said the franchisee eatery will be no more come Sunday, January 11, and instead a new business will open at the venue some time in 2026. Barry, who took over after the original operator went into administration, will remain at its helm.
He told the ECHO: “After a very difficult year for the business, including the loss of key signage and the disruption around Liverpool parade day, I stepped in to take over day-to-day control in an effort to stabilise the venue.
“As a Scouse family man, I want the venue to better reflect Liverpool — its people, its culture, and its love of sport and hospitality. I believe now is the right time to move away from the Hooters brand and create a more inclusive concept that locals can be proud of.”
Before Hooters even managed to pour the first round of pints, it faced opposition from some people in Liverpool. At the time, then-Mayor Joanne Anderson was against its arrival, claiming: “Hooters has an infamous sexually objectifying and misogynistic environment.”
Perhaps the biggest issue with Hooters that divided opinion was its sign on Water Street – a lengthy battle between the brand and Liverpool City Council that only got resolved this summer when the signs were eventually removed.
The Hooters sign being taken down on Water Street.(Pic Andrew Teebay).(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
The row first ignited in October 2022, just before the restaurant’s opening a month later. While the city’s licensing committee was happy to grant permission for the new venue to operate, the local authority’s planning body was not keen on two large neon orange signs to be placed outside New Zealand House.
Planning permission was not granted but this didn’t stop the business putting the signs up anyway. After years of legal wrangling, fines and a change of operator, the illicit signs outside the controversial branch came down on June 1.
Barry hopes a new concept will put all these issues to bed as he looks to transition the current Hooters site into a “more refined sports bar and restaurant”. He said “further details” will be shared soon in what is a “new chapter on Water Street”.
The ECHO will be bringing you the latest updates regarding what is next for the venue as and when possible.