Lost tearooms that became synonymous with Liverpool’s famous street

A lost team room opened in the city centre almost 50 years ago has become ‘synonymous’ with a famous Liverpool street.

The Armadillo Tea Rooms were opened in 1978 by restaurateur Martin Cooper in the Liverpool School on Mathew Street. A meeting place for punks, poets, musicians and artists from across the city, they served everything from tea and coffee to a selection of vegetarian dishes and more.

The year it opened, the Liverpool Daily Post reported that the venue was “wonderfully housed in a unique centre of Liverpool city eccentricity, the Liverpool School of Language, Music, Dream and Pun”. At the time, reporter Paul Jacot went to sample some of the food on offer, such as white bean soup and vegetable moussaka.

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He said: “The people here are civilised – and it’s hard not to be in such an atmosphere. I discovered that this week at lunch with a colleague who is a regular here. And from now on I will be too…” He continued: “Since you have to get your own food, there is always a lot of activity. And constant temptation.”

In 1982, the Armadillo Tea Rooms was nominated as one of Britain’s best restaurants in a new restaurant guide. On 21 June of that year, the ECHO reported that the establishment had developed from a “vision to a success story”.

The article states: “Martin Cooper is one of THE characters from Mathew Street. Some say he IS Mathew Street.”

“The Armadillo Tea Rooms are his first love and ongoing obsession. He is one of the most progressive restaurateurs in the city.”

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At the time, Mr Cooper said: “The Tea Rooms are not really a restaurant though. It’s more of a place where anyone can come, chat and stay all day with a cup of coffee if they want.”

“I think the Armadillo has become synonymous with Mathew Street. I guess in some ways we are a success story and an example for others to follow.

“What I like about Mathew Street is the cosmopolitan atmosphere that you don’t find anywhere else.” At the time, the bar’s regulars included local rock groups, poets and artists, mingling with lunchtime shoppers and office workers.

The business was also due to move to other premises in Mathew Street. An image, courtesy of our archive Mirrorpix, offers a glimpse into life at The Armadillo Tea Rooms in 1982.

It was not seen for years, showing Martin Cooper smiling and the logo with the illustration of an armadillo on the outside. The ECHO also described the company as “internationally known” in 1985.

In November, the ECHO reported: “Self-service during the day, waiter service in the evening, there is something for everyone here – including vegetarians and people whose diet is determined by their religion.”

In the 1990s, however, Mathew Street said goodbye to the Armadillo Tea Rooms. Today it is home to the Flanagan’s Apple pub, but many still have fond memories of the tea rooms and the vibrant 80s music scene that took place there.

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