Ziba at Racquet Club, Liverpool

Handy to both Princes Dock and the city centre, The Racquet Club Hotel started life back in 1857 as a Venetian palazzo. The historic Victorian building served the purposes of a private gentleman’s club from 1877, its original racquet courts being converted to squash courts in 1928, hence the name. Hospitality was provided for officers of the Royal Navy at the venue during World War II, before the building met its unfortunate and total destruction during the Toxteth riots in July of ‘81. Awarded a substantial compensation package under the Riot Damages Act, the committee were able to begin reconstruction of the club, and reopen in May of 1985. Today the hotel is a small and family-run affair with just eight, individually decorated rooms. A coveted Liverpool wedding venue, the hotel is capable of hosting over 200 guests with various options to suit the happy couple. The hotel’s Ziba Restaurant was established in 1997 and moved on-site during a refrubishment in 2003. Bordered by large arched windows, the restaurant boasts an airy feel and an adjacent bar, with the kitchen putting their own creative spin on modern English dishes.