A secret underground bar has been launched in Liverpool this week.
Ex-Directory, from the same people who brought Manchester’s secret bar The Washhouse, has opened in the city centre, with its launch night shrouded in secrecy.
The bar only accommodates reservations and in order to make a booking guests have to work out the club’s phone number through a series of cryptic clues left on the club’s website and Twitter account.
The guessing games have only just began after the reservation is made as customer’s are sent on a treasure hunt around Liverpool’s city centre in order to find a traditional, red phone box.
Once you’ve found the phone box you are allowed in and a lift takes you down to the club where you are waited on for drinks.
The entrance to Ex-Directory isn’t too different to its Manchester sister club The Washhouse. In order to gain entrance customers have to locate a laundrette which you go through to get to the club.
Ex-Directory’s owner Patrick Hall said: “We’re trying to a bit extra and above, which is why we’ve got the treasure hunt element- we’re expanding from just serving drinks. These secret clubs are very popular in other places like New York as they bring a fun element to going out.”
The launch and location of Ex-Directory has piqued the interest of Liverpool’s social scene and rumours have gathered momentum including one that once you have found the phonebox you have to guess a code in order to gain entrance.
“That isn’t true,” Hall said. “We said on Twitter, ‘Have you got the digits?’, meaning the phone number but people thought we meant a separate code. It’s exciting and gives the club a Narnia-type feel. It hooks people in”.
When asked for a clue on Ex-Directory’s whereabouts, Hall told JMU Journalism: “It’s not a million miles from Liverpool One.”