Liverpool hospitality operators Ma Pub Group have acquired Newington Temple, adding it as their fourth city-centre venue. It joins Nova Scotia, Tempest on Tithebarn, and Ma Boyle’s Alehouse & Eatery within the group’s growing estate.
With a history spanning nearly 200 years as a pub, Newington Temple has undergone various transformations in recent decades, including as Old Rope Walks, Bier, and most recently, a dive bar. Located just off Bold Street—a thriving hub for independent hospitality—the venue sits in one of Liverpool’s key dining and nightlife districts.
Ma Pub Group is investing £150,000 to restore the centuries-old inn to a traditional wet-led pub, focusing on draught and cask ales while showing Premier League football. This move aligns with Liverpool’s growing trend of revitalising historic pubs, and Newington Temple will proudly be part of this resurgence. The venue will close for three weeks for refurbishment and is set to reopen in mid-March, creating 15 new jobs. Its brand-new look, along with details on drinks and entertainment, will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
Director of Ma Pub Group, Iain Hoskins, comments: “Having started with my first wet-led pub 13 years ago, Ma Egerton’s Stage Door, and since then opening food-led hospitality businesses, I feel like I’ve come full circle with Newington Temple. Pubs are back in a massive way and Liverpool is leading the renaissance for not only all the new openings, but the diversity in the styles of pub-outlets – most of them independently owned and operated. There’s a classic pub aesthetic that appeals to almost everyone that is both timeless and cosy and feels very much what people want now. Newington will definitely have that classic Victorian pub feel, but with an edge like you would see in some of current sites like Ma Boyle’s and Nova Scotia and like those its appeal will be completely cross-generational. I’m thrilled to have a site in my favourite street in the world and what we offer with Newington will be the perfect accompaniment to the incredible restaurants that make Bold Street one of the most unique streets in Britain. While the trading environment has been tough with huge on-going challenges, I’m proud that our existing sites continue to grow their sales and reputation amid these choppy times. Newington Temple is a great addition to our portfolio.”
Ma Pub Group’s three existing venues have performed strongly, with a successful start to 2024 fueling optimism for a busy 2025. Each site holds a distinct identity within Liverpool’s hospitality scene, and the group’s reputation will be further strengthened with the addition of Newington Temple, set to open in mid-March.
