Franklyn's Bar & Kitchen on Telegraph Road in Heswall has closed after 14 years of trading, with owner Rob Murch citing the "current pressures independent businesses are facing."
The family-run venue, which opened in 2012, confirmed its closure in a social media post. The announcement thanked staff and customers for their support over the years, describing the decision as "not an easy one" after "14 wonderful years."
The post read: "It is with great sadness that, after 14 wonderful years, we must announce the closure of Franklyn's. It is well documented that the current pressures independent businesses are facing, with ever-increasing costs and overheads, and we are no exception."
A Cocktail Bar for the Suburbs
Murch, 46, previously told the ECHO that he opened the venue as a "cocktail bar where you can get some good food and socialise" at a time when Telegraph Road lacked such an offering. In 2024, he reflected: "There were a number of pubs but not a real cocktail place. But now Telegraph Road has got everything. You've got Italian, Mediterranean, pubs, and bars."
He added: "Businesses have changed a lot, habits have changed since Covid, but the community has stayed relatively the same. It's an eclectic community. We get a broad range because of the A540. It's easily accessible. It's a good place to be."
After working in Liverpool, Dublin and Sydney, Murch aimed to bring city-centre nightlife to the Wirral suburbs. He told the ECHO: "Originally, it was a cocktail bar. We felt that we wanted to bring a bit of the city centre, where we'd worked before, into more of a suburban setting, because there were only really pubs or restaurants with a small bar area."
Closure Confirmed
The social media post did not specify a closing date, but the venue is now listed as permanently closed on Google. The statement concluded: "We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved and will always be grateful for the memories we've made along the way. Here's to the future."
The closure marks the end of a 14-year run for the business, which Murch said "hit the ground running" when it first opened.
