Lerpwl on the Albert Dock has closed with immediate effect

Brothers Liam and Ellis Barrie have closed their Lerpwl restaurant in Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock after they say its landlord demanded a £30,000 payment in a dispute over pandemic rent debt.

In an open letter, Liam wrote “The business plan for Lerpwl, developed well before any sight or sound of a pandemic, has proved no match for the voracity of Covid nor the challenges of the Post Covid trading environment.”

He said that lawyers for Lloyd’s Bank, the restaurant’s landlord at the Royal Albert Dock development, had demanded the £30,000 following an arbitration process.

Liam adds further “It cannot continue that the Lerpwl team over-reach to meet our standards of delivery only for the revenue created to be absorbed in the legal entanglement. The losses incurred in the initial phase of launching, having been delayed and disrupted by Covid, depleted vital resources and hindered the ability to react to the different obstacles faced in the periods since.  The menus, team setup and formation have been restructured time and time again to navigate the multiple challenges that hospitality has faced since March 2020.  Ultimately the business has never fully recovered.”

In the meantime, other projects will remain for Liam and Ellis, Anglesey’s role will continue to re-emerge as a project base for all things food, drink and education. The educational and event features that Lerpwl participated in will continue and other projects and discussions will continue to be explored and developed.

Work has already started with members of the Lerpwl team to find them employment opportunities following the closure of the restaurant.

Liam Barrie said: “Lerpwl has been highly recognised since it opened its doors in Autumn 2020.  So many have invested so much good will to keep it going across the past 3 years.  We will forever be grateful for all involved: The Team, guests, suppliers and well wishers.”

A spokesperson for CBRE Investment Management said:

“We manage the commercial element of Royal Albert Dock on behalf of our client and decisions made are as a result of our asset management, not our client’s.

We recognise that restaurateurs have endured a very difficult time as a result of the Pandemic and we have worked with all our tenants to help them navigate that incredibly challenging environment with rent-free periods, structured repayment plans and, where appropriate, helping them to access government support.

It is in our interest to work with our tenants to help them thrive. We always aim to collaborate, negotiate and compromise, but for this to be successful, a similar approach needs to be adopted by the other side.”