The operator of a strip club in Liverpool city centre could take over the former Six by Nico restaurant site on North John Street. New details have emerged about the future of the long-shuttered venue, which has remained closed since August 2022 due to flooding.
Plans to amend premises licence
Proposals brought forward by OMG L1 VENUE LIMITED will go before a Liverpool Council committee for sign off. According to information released by the city council, an application has been lodged to amend the existing premises licence held by the company on North John Street. This would include adding performances of live and recorded music.
The changes would extend the opening hours until 2.30am, seven days a week. The existing licence operated from 10am to midnight Monday to Sunday and 11.30pm on Sundays.
Proposed supervisor named
Papers for the licensing and gambling sub-committee to be held on September 30 include details naming Howard Gwynn as the proposed designated premises supervisor. Mr Gwynn has been involved in the hospitality industry for a number of years and holds the same position at Erotica on Stanley Street.
Last month, the ECHO revealed how plans had been drawn up to bring the site back into use. Lawyers for Nico Simeone, the founder and CEO of the restaurant chain, previously said water began pouring into the restaurant due to badly sealed walls, filling a storage room, rotting the restaurant floor and causing mould.
History and legal action
According to financial records on Companies House for the year ending June 2024, Six by Nico forfeited its property lease during that period and ceased to have any employees. The Liverpool restaurant first opened almost seven years ago with the theme "The Chippie" as a nostalgic nod to the classic flavours found in UK chip shops.
In 2024, Nico Simeone took legal action against the freeholder of the building, Highneal Ltd, for more than £4.4 million to cover its losses, pay for a refurb and relaunch the restaurant. Highneal denied fault, claiming the restaurant's heavy duty industrial dishwasher was the source of the leak. This appears to have been resolved through a private agreement between the two parties via a Tomlin Order out of court in April last year.
Six by Nico has 12 other locations across the UK, with the nearest venue now in Manchester. A single objection to the new plans was lodged with the committee. It said: "There's too many bars with music blasting from them in that area. This premise should be retained as a restaurant to ensure the area is diverse and caters to people that don't necessarily want to drink alcohol at a fake Irish bar or pub. We have Mathew Street and Concert Square for that."
