Hundreds of people walk by the venue every day unaware of what actually lies behind its doors
Stephen McCarthy from Tailors secret bar on Old Hall Street(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
A city centre venue with blacked out windows and a subtle name hides a secret behind its unassuming frontage. A former chicken shop on Old Hall Street received a major transformation two years ago but the owners didn’t advertise the new premise – they wanted to keep it a secret.
In 2023, the Fit Food Shack restaurant became a clothing and repairs space named Tailors. Mannequins were displayed in the windows along with curtains hiding the interiors from passers-by on the street, with a sewing machine emblazoned across the signage.
However, Tailors is far from your average store, because behind its doors is actually a secret bar with experimental cocktails its owners describe as a “Willy Wonka speakeasy for adults”.
Stephen McCarthy is one of five directors at Tailors. Alongside close pal Mark, who he knew from their time in the Parachute Regiment; Paul, who served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; Adam, a carpenter by trade, and his wife Gemma, the owners all invested their own money into creating a city centre speakeasy.
The trail to Tailors(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Stephen told the ECHO: “We’ve visited secret bars and speakeasies across the country. London has some great ones, but we always found that once you’re through the hidden door, the magic tends to fade. We wanted to change that.
“For us, the experience doesn’t stop when you get in – it continues with the drinks, the service, and all the quirky bits and bobs we serve.”
After stepping in from Old Hall Street, customers are guided down the stairs by a red carpet, to be met with what appears to be an office to the left and a dead end to the right. Once staff are aware of a customer’s presence, they are taken through the fireplace and into the lounge.
Tailors on Old Hall Street(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Stephen, 40, said: “People love the sense of being in on a secret. We’ve created a space with a triple canopy of mystery, exclusivity, and a bit of theatre. There are three key elements: the secret venue and feeling of exclusivity, the magic continuing after you’re inside, and amazing customer service. Nail those, and you’ve got something special.”
None of the team had experience in running a bar so every day was a new learning experience. Stephen added: “We all want this to work. We’ve put everything into it – our savings, our time, our hearts, everything.
“Go to any city now and you’ll find the same bars like Wetherspoons, Alchemist, and the usual suspects. We all wanted to create something different with Tailors and for it to be a one off. We don’t plan to chain this so we’re very protective of it.
“It’s expensive to go out these days. Most people only go out once a month, so when they do, they want something special. That’s what we aim to give them.
Tailors is far bigger than the small fireplace you step through to enter(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
“This whole journey has been an education. We’ve made every mistake you can make, but we built this place ourselves, from the ground up, from what was once a chicken shop.
“The atmosphere is what really sets us apart. We get a lot of ‘Is this like Kingsman?’ and it is. That spy-agency-meets-tailor theme is inspired by the original Kingsman concept from 100 years ago.
“Our cocktails are a little bit eccentric, and we lean into people’s confusion of not always knowing what to expect. It’s like being a Willy Wonka for adults. We serve playful drinks in creative ways. We love surprising people. It’s up to us to dazzle and blindside them in the best way.”
The team take pride in watching customer’s scan the bar for whatever drink is on its way, be it served in an Iron Man mask, a tall curvaceous body, or a dinosaur skull. Despite its hidden-away concept, Tailors still manages to pull in a number of regulars.
Tailors cocktails are unique and eclectic (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Stephen said: “A lot of people find us by accident, love it, and keep coming back. We refresh the menu once a year to keep things new. It varies, but it does get busy.
“We’re still growing and it’s a secret bar after all, and for the first six months we were so secret that no one knew we existed. That was kind of the point. We had blacked-out windows, and people genuinely thought it was a real tailor shop.
“We’ve even started working with a local tailor to offer a service that ties into the theme. We try to strike a good balance of staying hidden but obviously getting people in., which is equally fun and tricky.”
In May, the Tailors were subject to a break-in at their venue. Stephen said: ” It was devastating – not just because of the loss, but because people assume we’re some huge business. We’re not. We poured everything into this.
Stephen and pals put everything they had into creating the venue(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Tailors was built from the ground up by a team who dedicated their time to painting, hammering and nailing the venue together. A lot of the furniture is recycled from other Liverpool venues in order to keep costs low and drive home the fact this is an independent business by a group of pals hoping to make it.
Stephen added: “We did all of this ourselves and we’re incredibly proud of it. We’re not a big business and it can sometimes be slow but we love what we’ve done with the place. I wish we could tell everyone about it but it goes against the concept!”