Located in the shadow of Liverpool FC’s Anfield stadium, the Sandon serves more than 5,000 punters every Reds’ home game and is also going to offer 115 hotel rooms. Tony McDonough reports
Already Liverpool’s most popular matchday pub, the Sandon in Anfield is also to become a hotel with 115 rooms to be added above the venue by the end of the year.
Located in the shadow of Liverpool FC’s famous Anfield stadium, the Sandon serves more than 5,000 punters every time the Reds play at home and has partnered with the club to provide matchday hospitality.
Late last year, the venue’s millionaire owner Kate Stewart invested £100,000 refurbishing suites to attract a weekday corporate events audience.
Now she wants to capitalise on the number of supporters who come to the city for home games from elsewhere in the UK and overseas. Liverpool enjoys significant support from places as far afield as Ireland and Norway. It is expected the rooms will be ready for occupation by November
On matchdays, particularly at the weekends, Liverpool’s hotels can be bursting at the seams as demand soars and Ms Stewart believes this provides a great opportunity for the Sandon. She also believes the hotel’s appeal will go beyond just football fans.
She added: “We are excited to have received the planning permission for our hotel and now it’s all systems go to get it ready. 5,000 people come to each home game and some of the lucky ones will now be staying with us for the first time ever.
“Now we have bedrooms it makes the whole venue so much more diverse. We can host mini-retreats, murder mystery events, sleepover parties as well as our usual weddings, christenings, baby showers, funerals and corporate events.”
The Sandon dates back to 1870 when it was regular meeting venue for players of St Domingo FC, which later become Everton, and was the headquarters for the team. The players also used it as a dressing room for decades.
Last year it was acquired by Ms Stewart, who once managed Liverpool’s Heritage market and opened a string of beauty salons in her early 20s. She also regularly hosts community events at the venue.