After launching in a railway arch in Liverpool in 2010, Love Lane Brewery expanded and moved to the Baltic Triangle and now seeks support to create a new events space. Tony McDonough reports

A popular bar and brewery in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle has launched an £80,000 fundraising campaign to create a new events space for the venue.

Love Lane Brewery started life in a railway arch in Love Lane in the city’s north docklands in 2010. It’s beer was a hit with customers and, in the words of founder Stephen Crawley, it “flew out of the door”.

Soaring demand meant the business needed a bigger space so it relocated to 62-64 Bridgewater Street in the heart of the Baltic Triangle, just south of the city centre. The former rubber warehouse was converted into a new brewery, boutique distillery and a bar that could accommodate large events.

Similar to countless other hospitality businesses, Love Lane Brewery was hit hard by the pandemic. Now it is back up and running and Stephen says it has been “inundated” with requests for events with from 40 up to 180 people.

While this is good news in terms of demand it has created a dilemma. If Love Lane accepts a booking for a private function, it means it has to close its doors to the public for the duration of the event.

Stephen’s solution is a fundraiser to raise £80,000 for the conversion of a room on the top floor of the building into an events space. He says that in return for peoples’ support he will make the space available for use by the community, as well as for private functions.

Specifically, there would be weekday use for local groups and charities for meetings, subsidised event use for  four weekday evenings a month and opportunities for local groups to have a space to write their next chapter.

“The pandemic has been a torrid time for everyone,” said Stephen. “That includes us and while we‘ve survived, we face a new challenge as we anticipate what freedom emerging from lockdown will bring.

“Your money will allow us to become a destination for events, while we continue to develop as the local bar for the growing Baltic Triangle community and visitors wanting a Liverpool taproom experience.”

The money will pay for:

• Renovation of the existing office space to create a multi-event floor with two meeting rooms/ event spaces.
• Installation of an additional kitchen, new bar and a portable event bar.
• Audio visual equipment (for gigs, rehearsals, arts, films, weddings and corporate meetings).
• Event furniture and seating.
• Air conditioning, additional lighting and a new storage space for the extra seating and tables and a small office.

Stephen added: “As a local business we are committed to investing in people and our community. The new development upstairs will give us the much needed space for more events, meaning more jobs, allow us to grow our team.

“Our brewery’s home is in the heart of Liverpool’s vibrant Baltic Triangle, a place full of doers, creators and makers – we want to take our building to its natural next step and do that in partnership with our local community.

“We know the new rooms will be bustling with events in the evenings and weekends, but through the week we want to be able to accommodate local groups. They could be the best band you’ve never heard of (yet) looking to jam or a yoga group.”

So far the campaign has raised more than £30,000. Click here for more information or to make a contribution.