The Liverpool restaurant is preparing for a new chapter
Open Restaurant Group has acquired much-loved Liverpool restaurant Wreck Bistro from chef Gary Usher.
The restaurant is set to serve its final service on Sunday 4 October before closing for a short period and undergoing a transformation ready for a new chapter.
The deal comes off the back of a successful acquisition of Hispi (now Arcadian), previously another of Usher's long-standing restaurants in Didsbury, Greater Manchester.
As part of the takeover, Open Restaurant Group will retain the entire existing Wreck team, ensuring no job losses as the business changes hands. The group will build on the warmth and hospitality the site has become known for, while introducing a new offer for the Liverpool market when the restaurant reopens.
Owned by Sam Morgan and Andrew Sheridan, Open Restaurant Group has already established a strong presence across the region including Sheridan’s flagship, Restaurant 8, which boasts three AA rosettes and is listed in the Michelin Guide, alongside Daise in Oxton.
The group has expanded rapidly over the past few years, launching Arcadian in Didsbury earlier this month, Noted in Chester in 2025, and Dishes in Prestatyn in 2024, taking its total to nine sites. As well as the acquisition of this new Liverpool site, Open Restaurant Group is also due to open Counter in Manchester this October.
Gary Usher said “Wreck has been such an important part of our journey over the years, so choosing the right people to take it forward was really important to us. Following the success of the Hispi acquisition, we know Andy and the Open Restaurant Group team will give Wreck the same care and attention, and importantly, they’ve shown that they understand how important the people behind a restaurant are by retaining the existing team. I’m really excited to see what they do with the site and know it’s going to be in good hands.”
Sam Morgan, Chief Executive of Open Restaurant Group, said: “We’d like to pay tribute to Gary and his team for everything they’ve created with Wreck. It’s become a much-loved part of Liverpool’s independent restaurant scene and we’re very conscious of the responsibility that comes with taking on a restaurant with that history. This is another really exciting step for Open Restaurant Group. Liverpool is an important part of our story and we’re looking forward to bringing a new chapter to this brilliant site.”
Andrew Sheridan, chef and co-founder of Open Restaurant Group, added: “Wreck is a brilliant site in one of the best parts of Liverpool, and there’s a huge amount to work with. Gary and the team have built something that people really care about, so we want to respect that while giving the space a new direction. It’s an exciting challenge for us and we’re looking forward to showing people what we’ve got planned.”
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