Aiden Byrne's takeover of Liverpool's Vincent Café falls through

Aiden Byrne's plan to take over Steven Gerrard's Vincent Café in Liverpool has fallen through.

Earlier this month, Byrne had announced his intention to relaunch the venue, which Gerrard co-owned with Paul Adams, as the Metropolitan Bar and Grill Rooms later this year, with the backing of Medusa Hospitality.

The plan had been for the restaurant to continue to initially trade in the same guise but under the new ownership following its transfer on 2 April.

However, a sign outside the restaurant read: "Due to unforeseen circumstances Aiden Byrne and his team will no longer be operating from the Vincent Café and Cocktail Bar Liverpool. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused."

A spokesperson for Medusa Hospitality confirmed: "It is with regret that we confirm that we are unable to progress with the deal to acquire the Vincent Café, after undertaking due-diligence."

The restaurant would have joined Byrne's Restaurant MCR in Manchester's Spinningfields, which the chef returned to the helm of after leaving D&D London's 20 Stories last year, and the chef's Church Green pub in Cheshire.

Byrne was the youngest chef in the UK to be awarded a Michelin star when, in 1994, Adlards Restaurant in Norwich received the plaudit, when he was 22.

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