A market town nestled on the outskirts of Merseyside in West Lancashire has enjoyed a boom in its food and drink scene in recent years.
Ormskirk is a popular spot with Liverpudlians. Located 13 miles from the city with a direct 35 minute train link, it's also just five miles from the Sefton border and Maghull.
The quaint town, which still hosts its historic market twice a week, now boasts a huge range of trendy bars, restaurants, traditional pubs and beer taps serving a wide range of ales.
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The venues not only serve local residents, but the vibrant student community in the town. Along its streets are popular brunch spot Cobble, Turkish barbecue TurQuaz and steakhouse The Barnyard among others.
For a drink you can head to Portobello or The Old Post Office, while Tap Room No12 have got beer enthusiasts covered when it comes to ales from across the globe.
Ormskirk Food and Drink Market, which has a number of venues under one roof, opened on Moorgate in 2022 inside the former Ormskirk Indoor Market.
Liverpool restaurateurs are now expanding into the town. Earlier this month LUCA, which operates on Allerton Road, announced it would be opening in Ormskirk too.
Elsewhere, there's Green Room, a stylish cocktail bar on Moor Street which opened in 2009. Ian Gordon, founder of IKO Projects, which also owns The Mustard Club in Ormskirk as well as a number of venues in Chester, said Ormskirk's rise as a hotspot for gastronomes is "not just a recent thing".
He added: "Good operators have been opening venues in Ormskirk for a long time. That said, post-Covid there have been a number of new openings from established independents looking to grow their sites.
"Venues such as the new Ormskirk Food and Drink Market have brought more people to the town which can only be a good thing. There really are some excellent independents in Ormskirk, some new and some long standing."
In 2021, Green Room expanded into the former Carphone Warehouse unit next door. Ian added: "It was a bit of a gamble but, thankfully, it’s worked for us and means we now have a much more enjoyable space for everyone."
The town of Ormskirk is understood to date back to the 13th century and its market has been going since the 1280s. It opens every Thursday and Saturday, with 100 stalls descending on Moor Street, Aughton Street and Church Street.
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