The brand – popular on TikTok – could take over the vacant site after Kenwright firm went into administration
The brand – popular on TikTok – could take over the vacant site after Kenwright firm went into administration
A former “boutique” gym left vacant in Liverpool’s business district when its founding firm went bankrupt could be brought back to life as a venue for baking events. In 2020, as Signature Living – the company led by city businessman Lawrence Kenwright – was taken on by administrators, its sister fitness centre Signature Fit Club, became one of the casualties of the financial difficulties.
The venue sat on the ground floor of 60 Old Hall Street and was situated below the wider development of the “ugly duckling” building that Mr Kenwright had hoped to turn into a serviceable residential space. The gym became the only part of the £1.8m development that was able to open before the administration took hold.
Having been left vacant for almost five years, fresh hope has emerged for the lower ground of the building with a licensing application being lodged by a London-based firm hoping to bring bake-off-style events to the city. The Big Bakes has put in a bid to Liverpool Council to establish The Big Liverpool Bake on Old Hall Street.
The 60 Old Hall Street development was taken on by Signature Living in January 2016. When Signature Living took over this business district building nine years ago they said they would transform the “ugly duckling” of Old Hall Street into a residential space, serviced apartments, office space and also include a ground floor retail unit. Administrators were called into Lawrence Kenwright’s firms Signature Living Residential Limited and Signature Victoria Mill Ltd on April 16, 2020.
Weeks later it was confirmed its fitness club would shut for good. The business was designed as a “boutique” gym according to Signature Living, having initially closed down as part of the coronavirus pandemic.
The company opened the fitness club in 2017, offering a range of classes including high-intensity training and boxing. In an email sent to members in 2020, the club said: “Three years ago, Signature Fit Club was created as a boutique gym, not because we thought we were going to be something special, but because we were small and different – in the end I think that was achieved.”
As dust has gathered for years on the site, there is now hope the ground floor level could be revived. The Big Bakes hosts a series of bake-off events across London and Birmingham with a series of cooking stations fit for group bookings.
The company – which set up a Liverpool based operation last December according to Companies House – is seeking to secure a premises licence for the site to sell alcohol and play recorded music between 9am and 11pm daily. A decision will be made in the coming months by the city council’s licensing department.