Twenty at Smithdown Place to Reopen After Temporary Closure, Allerton 2026

Key Points

• The venue formerly known as twenty at 20 Smithdown Place, off Penny Lane in Liverpool, has announced it will reopen later in July 2026 after a temporary closure that began around Father’s Day weekend.
• The mixed-concept space – coffee shop, wine bar, floristry and small plates – opened on 16 May 2026 after 12 months of renovation work on the former TSB bank building.
• The closure was initially reported over the Father’s Day weekend, prompting the ECHO to contact the owners repeatedly from 23 June.
• Founders Laura McCumiskey and Anna Forster launched the venue together, but a new statement confirms Anna is stepping back from her operational role and will eventually leave the board.
• Laura McCumiskey will continue to lead day-to-day management of twenty.
• The extended closure was attributed to planned building works, maintenance, staff training, operational checks and a management transition that took longer than expected.
• The site has been a landmark on South Liverpool’s high street for more than 90 years and was immortalised in The Beatles’ “Penny Lane” lyrics.
• The owners have apologised for frustration and disappointment caused by the delay and say a reopening date will be confirmed shortly.
• The business was conceived as a community-focused space aiming to support other independents alongside its own operations.
• The development highlights operational and governance challenges that new hospitality ventures can face in the first months after launch.

Allerton (Liverpool standard) July 13, 2026 – A newly opened mixed-concept venue at 20 Smithdown Place in Liverpool has confirmed it will reopen later this month after a temporary closure that sparked concern among customers and local residents. The statement, issued to the ECHO, says the site – which operates as a coffee shop, wine bar, floristry and small plates restaurant under the name twenty – is expected to reopen towards the end of July 2026, with a specific date to be announced shortly.

What caused the temporary closure of twenty at Smithdown Place?

According to the statement shared with the ECHO, the venue used a planned temporary closure to carry out scheduled building works, maintenance, staff training and operational checks to ensure the premises and business were in proper order ahead of the main summer trading period. As reported by the ECHO, the owners said that during this planned closure, work also began on the transition of day-to-day management of the venue, and this process took longer than expected, resulting in the extension of the closure.

The ECHO had contacted the owners on several occasions since 23 June to ask about the closure, which first became known to the public around Father’s Day weekend when the new business appeared to be closed. The uncertainty led to questions on social media and among locals who had visited the venue shortly after its May opening.

Who is running twenty now and how has the leadership changed?

The statement confirms that Anna Forster, one of the two founders, is stepping back from her operational role at twenty to focus on her existing business, Mary Mary Florals. As reported by the ECHO, the owners explained that Anna’s involvement with twenty had always sat alongside her existing business, and it was always anticipated that the day-to-day operation of the venue would transition as twenty moved beyond the launch phase.

Laura McCumiskey, the other founder, will continue to lead the day-to-day management of twenty. The statement also notes that Anna will step down from her board position following completion of agreed arrangements. Twenty has thanked Anna for her contribution to the launch of the venue, and has thanked staff, customers and suppliers for their patience during the closure.

What is the history of the building at 20 Smithdown Place?

The former bank building at 20 Smithdown Place, off Penny Lane, has stood on the South Liverpool high street for more than 90 years. The site was a TSB branch until 2021, before being converted into the mixed-concept venue known as twenty. The building is famous in local culture and beyond, having been immortalised in The Beatles’ “Penny Lane” lyrics, which has helped generate significant interest ahead of and after the venue’s opening.

Ahead of the launch, twenty took to social media to invite people to share their memories of the building, reflecting its long-standing presence in the community. Founders Laura McCumiskey and Anna Forster opened the doors to twenty on Saturday, 16 May 2026 after 12 months of renovation works.

What did the founders say about the vision for twenty?

Speaking ahead of its opening, Laura McCumiskey said: “We wanted to create something that supports other independents as well as our own businesses. A space where quality, experience and community come first.” This vision underpinned the decision to combine a coffee shop, wine bar, floristry and small plates concept in a single, community-focused venue.

The site had gathered a lot of interest before and after its launch, with locals and visitors drawn by both the historic building and the multi-use hospitality model. The temporary closure, however, disrupted the early momentum of the business and raised questions about whether the original vision could be sustained under the new management arrangement.

How have customers and the local community reacted to the closure and reopening plan?

The closure became widely known around Father’s Day weekend, when the new business was apparently closed and customers found the doors shut. The ECHO reported that it contacted the owners on several occasions since 23 June to ask about the closure, indicating that concern had been building among local media and the public.

In its statement, twenty said:

“We sincerely apologise for any frustration and disappointment experienced as a result of this.”

The apology acknowledges that the delay went beyond what had been communicated to customers and that the extended closure had affected people’s plans to visit the venue during what would normally be a busy summer period.

Now that a reopening is expected later this month, the focus is likely to shift to whether the venue can rebuild early momentum and deliver on its original community-focused promise under Laura’s sole operational leadership.

Background of the Development at 20 Smithdown Place

The development of twenty at 20 Smithdown Place represents a high-profile example of heritage building conversion in Liverpool’s South city centre. The site, previously a TSB branch until 2021, was acquired and refurbished over a 12-month period to create a mixed-use hospitality and retail space combining coffee, wine, flowers and dining.

The project was driven by founders Laura McCumiskey and Anna Forster, who sought to create a community hub that also supported other independent businesses. The choice of location was deliberate: the building’s long history on Penny Lane, coupled with its cultural association with The Beatles, gave the project strong local and national resonance.

The temporary closure in June 2026 exposed challenges often faced by new hospitality ventures, including operational readiness, staff training, maintenance schedules and governance transitions. The decision for Anna Forster to step back from day-to-day operations and eventually leave the board marks a significant shift in the business’s early governance structure, potentially affecting how the venue is managed and marketed in the coming months.

Prediction: How This Development Could Affect Local Customers and Independent Businesses

The reopening of twenty, now under Laura McCumiskey’s sole day-to-day leadership, is likely to affect local customers and nearby independent businesses in several ways.

• For regular customers and locals: The venue’s return could restore a popular social and dining destination in the Penny Lane area, but the extended closure may have already weakened early customer loyalty. If the reopened venue delivers on its original promise of quality, experience and community focus, it could regain momentum; however, any further operational issues risk damaging trust and reducing repeat visits.
• For nearby independents: The original vision of supporting other independents suggests that twenty may collaborate with or promote neighbouring businesses through events, shared marketing or supply arrangements. Under a streamlined management structure, such partnerships could become more consistent, potentially benefiting small retailers and producers in the area.
• For the wider South Liverpool hospitality scene: The successful reopening of a high-profile, heritage-linked venue could encourage further investment in similar conversions and mixed-concept spaces. Conversely, if the venue struggles after reopening, it may make lenders and investors more cautious about ambitious hospitality projects in historic buildings.

Overall, the development’s next phase will be watched closely by customers, local businesses and the wider community, as it illustrates both the opportunities and risks of turning a well-known historic building into a modern, multi-use hospitality destination.