The Brink

Polly Checkland Harding

This venue is permanently closed. Find other nearby venues.

Proverbially, the brink is not often thought of as a good place to be. It usually means the tipping point into something terrible, the high ledge that everybody wants you to back away from. But Liverpool’s first dry bar is redefining this, and more: The Brink has set itself up as a venue that promotes a change to the way addiction is addressed. Instead of relegating addicts to the dread zone beyond the edge of accepted society, this social recovery enterprise looks to offer them a space in which to mingle with others who are struggling, some who are in recovery and more who simply enjoy socialising without bringing alcohol into the mix. Abstinence has its advantages for your wealth, as well as health

Hence the dry bar part: like many bars, The Brink serves a wide range of internationally-sourced drinks, the only difference is that none of them contain alcohol. There’s a nine strong list of “cocktails”, which, at £2.95 each, will set you back far less than the traditional Daiquiri (abstinence has its advantages for your wealth, as well as health). Options range from a refreshing Bollywood Sour, energetic with lemon, lime, ginger, elderflower and apple, to the earthy flavours of a Root Rooster (its flavours include blackcurrant, liquorice, dandelion and burdock) or a Chocolate Cooler sugar rush. Smoothies, fresh presses, syrups and cordials are also on offer, along with tea and coffee for caffeine fanatics.

The accompanying menu brings together a good range of dishes from locally-sourced ingredients. Here again the prices are geared towards those with fewer zeroes lined up after their bank balance; all of the breakfast picks come in at under a fiver (that includes tea and coffee, wouldya believe it?), and there’s a daily Brink Bargain special that weighs in at £3.95. The main course options are a parade of roguish, old timer favourites, with Hot Pot, Rarebit and Fish ‘n’ Chips all grinning out from the page, making the kids portions and sweet things blush. There’s a simple, comfortable feel to the whole thing, well matched by the airy feel of high ceilings, hanging plants and well-spaced tables.

With the majority of its award-winning staff going through or past the recovery stage themselves, The Brink offers a number of ways to bringing addiction back into the conversation – quietly doing away with the misconceptions and stigma that come from its segregation. There’s a pretty extensive schedule of events, many of which are free, that includes film and football screenings, guitar lessons, poetry and open mic, support groups and theatre. All in all, The Brink is no longer to be turned away from, but the place to stay.

15-21 Parr StreetLiverpoolL1 4JN View map
Telephone: 0151 703 0582 Visit Now

Opening Hours

  • Monday9:00am - 8:00pm
  • Tuesday9:00am - 8:00pm
  • Wednesday9:00am - 8:00pm
  • Thursday9:00am - 8:00pm
  • Friday9:00am - 8:00pm
  • Saturday9:00am - 8:00pm
  • Sunday10:00am - 7:00pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

What's on near The Brink

Tatton Park
TourKnutsford
Secrets of Knutsford

From wild buildings to wilder characters, explore hidden histories and architectural oddities in the Cheshire town of Knutsford.

from £20.00

Where to go near The Brink

pub
Liverpool
Bar or Pub
The Merchant

The Merchant is a chilled bar, with a great selection of beers and gins and lots of outdoor seating. It’s also the home of Nightcrawler Pizza.

Liverpool
Kazimier Stockroom

Run by the heads behind The Invisible Wind Factory, Kazimier Stockroom is a micro venue with maximalist ambitions.

record shop
Liverpool
Shop
Dead Air Records

Dead Air Records is a vinyl shop in Liverpool, offering a perfectly curated selection of records and a friendly space for music lovers.

City Centre
Bar or Pub
The Shipping Forecast

Cooler-than-thou yet immensely comforting, this pub does it all: chilled mornings, lazy afternoons and music-filled nights.

City Centre
Bar or Pub
The Jacaranda Club

The Jacaranda Club is a legendary music venue, bar and record store, that continues to play an key part in Liverpool’s music scene.

Vegan burger from Frost Burgers
City Centre
Restaurant
Frost Burgers

Our favourite is The Scorpion, two beef-free patties with melted spicy pepper ‘cheese’, yellow mustard, jalapenos, sriracha mayo, spicy chipotle paste, red onion, ketchup, tomato and lettuce, packed in a vegan burger bun.

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Dynamic dance, party-performance, high-energy stand-up and a site-specific show set in a pub. All this and more in our newest theatre guide.

Okechukwu Nzelu
Literature Events in the North

If it's inspiring, inclusive events and avant-garde, experimental afternoons you're after, look no further than live literature this spring – we've got you covered.

A woman sits in a car with hands holding the steering wheel.
Cinema in the North

Vintage Alfred Hitchcock and a family friendly film festival are amongst our highlights this May.

Sextile
Music in the North

Open air clubs, new festivals and long-awaited gigs. The North West's live music scene is heating up this spring. 

Laura Ellen Bacon, Into Being, 2025. Photo © India Hobson, courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Exhibitions in the North

Willow weaving, textile collages, digital arts and ecology - all this and more in our exhibition top picks this month

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Tours and Activities in the North

We've got many a good time in store this month as we round up the best walking tours, cultural classes and makers markets in the land.