The future of the former Madre site at Liverpool's Royal Albert Dock has been confirmed, with the venue set to become a new space called The Hartley. The Mexican restaurant, which opened in November 2019, was run by the same team behind Belzan and Volip.
Madre occupied two floors in the Grade I-listed Atlantic Pavilion, seating 100 guests, with a dedicated bar area and courtyard. The ECHO reported in March that the venue had closed "after six incredible years", with the team saying they were focusing on their sister site, Salon Madre. That Hanover Street venue has also since shut down, and its future plans remain unclear.
New Venue from The Long Shot Team
The waterfront Madre site has been taken over by the team behind The Long Shot, a cocktail bar located on the arena side of the Britannia Pavilion at the Royal Albert Dock. The new venue will be known as The Hartley, with plans for it to open by the end of this year.
Co-owner and director Michael Griffiths told the ECHO: "We've been looking for the right opportunity to create a venue with more space and flexibility for weddings, private parties and corporate events for some time. When the opportunity arose just a couple of doors down from The Long Shot, it felt like a natural next step for us. The combination of the venue itself and the large outdoor courtyard gives us the opportunity to offer something quite different. We're really excited to build on what we've already established at the Albert Dock and bring another distinctive venue to the waterfront."
Day-to-Night Offerings
Griffiths explained how The Hartley hopes to fill a gap in the Royal Albert Dock's offerings, with the space's atmosphere set to change throughout the day. He added: "Alongside our bottomless brunch offering, we're particularly excited about hosting special occasions. Whether that's wedding receptions, corporate events, birthday celebrations, hen parties or private hire, we want The Hartley to become one of Liverpool's go-to venues for bringing people together."
He highlighted the venue's historic dockside setting, exposed brickwork, floral displays and large outdoor courtyard, describing the flexible indoor and outdoor spaces as offering something "genuinely special". The food will be served all day, with a brunch-led menu described as "short and done well". The full brunch service runs from 11am to 3pm, with coffee available from 8am on weekdays and 9am at weekends.
