ONE of Liverpool’s oldest pubs has been put into liquidation, the Daily Post can reveal.
But the popular Slaughterhouse, in Fenwick Street, could be back in business soon following the appointment of liquidators.
It is the second blow to hit the brewing industry in Liverpool in the past few days, as brewer Cains is facing a winding-up petition in the High Court.
The Slaughterhouse has been hit by the smoking ban and has also struggled because of the nature of its tie-in with tenant and leasing chain Enterprise Inns.
Director Andy Boardman said: "The shareholders decided to place the business in liquidation because it had become a constant drain on resources. It was put up for sale 18 months ago, but no- one has been interested in buying it, and in the meantime there was a VAT bill to pay and the bank was monitoring the situation.
"VAT was the main creditor but hopefully most bills will be met. Otherwise, the smoking ban didn’t help and also there was a strict tie- in with Enterprise which meant we couldn’t be flexible with prices and it got more difficult to make ends meet."
It is understood another operator is now negotiating with Enterprise over a new lease on more favourable terms.
Meanwhile, insolvency practitioners Begbies Traynor are to liquidate Jak Tavers (The Slaughterhouse). The business’s other pub in Liverpool, Ma Boyle’s, is not affected.
The Slaughterhouse is thought to date back to the time of George III and vies with pubs like Rigby’s for the title of Liverpool’s oldest. Its spit-and-sawdust style has long been popular with generations of city drinkers.
It is also thought to be one of the city’s most haunted premises, and is on the Shiverpool tour of spooky places. A butcher connected with a local abattoir is thought to have taken his own life on the premises.
It has also housed a comedy club in the basement called Laughterhouse in the past, and then reopened as a comedy venue at the beginning of the year.
For a period after 1999 the Slaughterhouse name was changed to O’Neill’s under Bass Taverns but was reinstated in 2000.
Liquidators are asking all creditors to send details of their claims by September 8.
It is not known when the Slaughterhouse will reopen.
