The group, which operates Ma Boyle’s Alehouse and Eatery, Tempest on Tithebarn, Nova Scotia and Newington Temple, and which is run by director Iain Hoskins, will take on the business from 3 December. All staff will be retained with the transition and Tabac will continue to trade with the same name.
Café Tabac was launched on the city’s Bold Street in 1974 by Rita Lawrence and throughout the 1980s welcomed a generation of artists, musicians, writers and performers including Holly Johnson, Pete Burns, Margi Clarke, Ian McCulloch, Jayne Casey and poet Gerry Potter.
Elaine Clarke, Baa Bar CEO, says: “Café Tabac was opened by my Auntie Rita and Paddy Byrne of the Everyman — who sadly passed away only weeks ago — and from the very beginning it carried the spirit of the Everyman’s bold, creative energy. That sense of independence has lived in its walls for more than fifty years and has shaped everything it has become.
“My own working life has been tied to Tabac for 33 years. I started in hospitality in Café Tabac at 14, and this place has been part of every chapter since — a constant I have cared about deeply and worked hard to keep true to its bohemian roots through all the changes Liverpool has seen.
“Taking it on in 2001 was one of the proudest moments of my career. I wanted to honour what Rita created: a home for artists, musicians, performers, night owls, early risers, and everyone who found a piece of themselves in its red glow.”
“Letting go now comes with a heavy heart. It truly marks the end of an era for me and for my family. Tabac has always felt like another relative — one I have protected fiercely — and saying goodbye is deeply personal.
“But I also know that every great institution evolves, and this is the right moment for its next chapter. Iain has understood Tabac and knows its history, its quirks, its place in the city, and the emotional pull it has for people who have walked through its doors since the eighties and still come today.
“Ma Pub Group has built a strong reputation for looking after their venues and their teams, and I know Iain will protect this place with the same heart, integrity and pride that have sustained it for half a century.”
Café Tabac is known for its breakfast menu that includes butties and stacks, and a lunchtime offer of fried chicken, scouse, and bagels.
“Being entrusted with Café Tabac is an honour. It has been at the heart of Liverpool’s cultural landscape for decades and holds a huge place in the city’s memory. Like so many others, I have my own stories tied to this place. Tabac is one of the last living reminders of a Liverpool that shaped generations of creativity and character,” says Hoskins.
“To become its next custodian is a privilege I do not take lightly. My commitment is simple: it will remain the Tabac Liverpool knows and loves. Elaine has protected its authenticity for more than 20 years, and Rita did the same for decades before that. We are proud to continue that legacy and carry this iconic venue into its next era.”