Paul Askew announces new Liverpool restaurant
Barnacle, the Liverpool dining concept from Paul and Harry Askew, is preparing to open its first stand-alone restaurant this autumn in the city’s Georgian Quarter.
Following its debut at Duke Street Market in 2021 and a street food pop-up at the Albert Dock, Barnacle is now ready for its permanent home on Hardman Street. The bar and lobby will softly open on the weekend of September 27, with the full restaurant and ground floor officially launching in October.
ABOUT PAUL
Paul Askew is one of the UK’s leading chefs and a driving force in Liverpool’s fine dining scene. Chef patron of The Art School, he is known for championing seasonal British dishes mentoring the next generation, and raising Liverpool’s culinary profile on the international stage.
Paul’s career has spanned global experiences in New York, the Middle East and Asia, before returning home to lead kitchens including the Philharmonic Hall and London Carriage Works.
In 2014 he opened The Art School, now regarded as the city’s flagship fine dining restaurant. Beyond the pass, Paul serves as President of Disciples Escoffier UK and Northern chairman of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, using his platform to mentor young chefs, promote diversity, and celebrate Liverpool’s maritime and cultural legacy through food.
A Historic New Home
The new Barnacle is set within the Grade II listed former School for the Blind, a building that dates back to 1791. The site has been home to The Florist and more recently Hardman Studios, which continue to occupy the upper floors. From autumn, the ground floor will be transformed as Barnacle brings fresh gastronomic life to the historic space.
A Space to Drink, Dine and Socialise
The new Barnacle has been designed as both a dining destination and a social space. A terrace overlooking Hardman Street offers the perfect spot for cocktails, while inside the lobby opens into a bar and restaurant, with seating for casual drinks and snacks.
Paul's son, restaurant director Harry Askew, shares the same commitment to gastronomy and community, having grown up immersed in kitchens and dining rooms alongside his father.
Inspiration
The thought for Barnacle traces back to Paul’s father and Harry’s grandfather, Captain Barnacle Bill Askew, who sailed the world on the Blue Star Line. His travels introduced the family to global flavours and inspired Paul’s own culinary path. The restaurant’s name reflects both this family history and the maritime legacy of Liverpool, a city shaped by the foods, ideas and influences carried across the seas.
Paul Askew said: “Our new home is a Grade II listed building and originally part of The Old Blind School. It’s a historic place, with the Philharmonic Hall and Everyman Theatre as our neighbours. At Barnacle we want to offer something for everyone, from a quick drink to a full dining experience.
"Our bar has a wonderful, cosy snug which seats just twelve people, while the main dining space gives us the perfect environment to serve lunch and dinner in the way we’ve always envisioned.”
He added: “My dad was Captain Barnacle Bill Askew and he sailed the world on the Blue Star lines. His travels inspired me when I was young and, along with my mother, they set me on my culinary path. I always think of barnacles on the hulls of ships that sailed to and from Liverpool, and how so much culinary knowledge and inspiration found its way here. At Barnacle we proudly tell that story through the city’s food and cultural odyssey.”
Harry Askew concluded: “We can finally realise our true vision for Barnacle, opening in a beautiful city-centre setting that is completely our own. It’s the right time to bring Barnacle back to Liverpool in its true form and to play our part in the city’s thriving culinary scene.”
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