Leading steakhouse brand Hawksmoor is opening its first Liverpool outlet in one of the city’s grandest office buildings. Tony McDonough reports

Steakhouse brand Hawksmoor is to open a new restaurant in India Buildings in Liverpool city centre.

Hawksmoor, which operates restaurants in London, Manchester and New York, will locate its new venue on the corner of Brunswick Street and Fenwick Street in a space that previously housed a branch of the Post office.

It will be just yards away from two other popular Liverpool outlets – Restaurant Bar & Grill and The Alchemist and in a district that has become a hotspot for eating and drinking in the past few years.

After opening “the hottest steakhouse in New York” and and ranking Number one in the ‘World’s Best Steak Restaurants’ list, co founder Will Beckett said: “We‘ve spent lots of time in Liverpool over the years, and it’s one of the most exciting and dynamic cities in the country. We’ve found a beautiful, listed building in such a great location.

“It’s an amazing site, we’re really excited to do it justice by building something really special. We have made lots of friends in Liverpool, many who run and own some of the fantastic independent bars and restaurants that make Liverpool tick, and have been such a key part of the reputation Liverpool has developed in the last few years.”

India Buildings, a Grade II-Listed building, has undergone an £11m refurbishment since it was acquired by Legal & General (L&G) to acquire the site for £125m. That deal was underpinned by a 25-year letting of 270,000 sq ft to HMRC which plans to house up to 4,500 staff there.

India Buildings was built between 1924 and 1932 as a speculative venture by shipping firm, Blue Funnel Line, owned by Alfred Holt. Architects Arnold Thornely and Herbert J Rowse won a competition to design the site. It cost £1.25m – equivalent to around £85m today.

L&G added: “L&G are really pleased to welcome Hawksmoor to this truly outstanding Grade II-listed building, and are excited to see the further transformation of India Buildings through the tenant fit out of this and the adjacent banking hall unit, where tenant discussions are ongoing.”

Childhood friends, Will Beckett and Huw Gott, set up Hawksmoor in 2016, serving steaks from traditionally-reared cattle and sustainably sourced seafood, alongside old school cocktails in a then unfashionable part of London.

Since then, Hawksmoor has grown to include seven restaurants in London, one in Manchester, one in Edinburgh and one in New York.