First five traders unveiled for Ormskirk Food & Drink Market

Simon and Fiona Beer

A new food and drink venture has revealed its first five traders ahead of its opening this autumn, creating 80 jobs.

Ormskirk Food & Drink Market is targeting a November opening.

Located on Moorgate and spanning two floors, the 10,000 sq ft venue, which is themed around Eat, Meet & Play, will welcome award-winning Baltic Triangle restaurant Lu Ban, headed up by executive chef Dave Critchley, as part of its new street food concept Meishi, together with Burscough-based pizzeria Purely Pizza, steak and fish eatery Salmo, iconic outdoor hangout Backyard Liverpool, and all things burgers courtesy of Meatello.

The venue is now on the hunt for one more local independent business to complete its line-up.

Director Simon Beer, whose EPIC brand has a proven track record of operating successful businesses in and around Liverpool city centre, is behind the venture, together with his wife Fiona.

Simon said: “We know that there has been a lot of interest in who will be joining us at the market, so it’s great to finally announce this and to welcome these brilliant brands on board.

“When we first came up with the concept of Ormskirk Food & Drink Market, it was so important to us that it helped to propel start-up businesses and to put them into the spotlight. Ultimately, it’s about giving them a platform, and the opportunity to get their foot on the hospitality ladder. The search is now on for that final trader.”

Acquired by Simon and Fiona in 2012, the former indoor market has remained vacant for the past 12 years and is currently in the latter stages of transformation.

It will soon come to life as a new food hall, alongside the six kitchens, a bar area, an immersive games area, several retail outlets, live music floor and private hire space.

The team is also well under way in its latest recruitment drive with a total of 80 roles available including business development manager, bar manager, head bartender, bartenders and servers.

Fiona Beer said: “This is such a big investment in many ways, and we want to attract the right brands and the right people in order for it to be a success. We want to give people a chance to develop their businesses – and themselves – in a space that just hasn’t previously existed here.

“To some, Ormskirk may just be another historic town in the North, but we chose this area for a reason. Not only has it been our home for the past 25 years, but we’re proud to be creating something that really will elevate the area and what it has to offer.”

She added: “We’re confident that Ormskirk Food & Drink Market will attract not only people from the local community but also further afield and become a destination in its own right. We’re confident it will create a name for itself as a culinary hub, offering the best entertainment and a space that has never existed in the region before.”

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