The Lock & Quay...
SAFE charity purchased award-winning canal-side Lock & Quay (L&Q) in Bootle, Merseyside as a cultural venue & community pub in 2015. L&Q is home to an ambitious & varied grassroots arts programme of 65+ events, 25,000 audience per year co-delivered by SAFE creative team & arts partners (including ScrapYard & Start Creative).
Regular activity includes theatre nights; philosophy clubs; live music (inc. monthly U18s Music Jam inclusive tech advice & open mic), monthly festivals attracting 1000+ local & regional visitors.
Music Venue Trust Grassroots Venue, Nurtures emerging/established talent, ACE-funded touring artists, exhibitions, choir & ukulele groups. A meeting point for Bootle community groups, food bank collection, social enterprise, ‘Cosy Club’ warm welcome activity. Recognised by prestigious awards inc. PubAid Community Hero Award 2025.
Part of Sefton trailblazer plan to regenerate Bootle.L&Q is included in Sefton Council Bootle Area Action Plan.
Meet The Team
The Lock & Quay is at the centre of our community and the team connect with people through good vibes, good beer and good conversation! We are very lucky to have such a fun, dedicated group of people working so hard to make sure everything runs smoothly at Bootle’s premier live music venue and the best bit? Every penny goes straight back into making Bootle a better place to live, work and play!
Some of our staff members at the Lock & Quay came to us as part of a training scheme supporting local young people into work, and have continued with us gaining full-time employment as a result!
ALL of our L&Q bar staff are a part of the local community, all living within 2 miles of the pub!
Liz
Liz is our amazing venue manager, always rushing around, coordinating all our amazing events – usually in a hat, always with a smile! She is also a founder member of the Lock & Quay Walking Club, regularly arranging for local people to come together and get out in the mountains. With a passion for music, quality brewing and hospitality she’s quite literally perfect for us!
liz@saferegen.org.uk
Ben
Ashy came to the Lock as part of a training scheme supporting local young people into work and soon became part of the furniture, using his incredible organisational skills to bring efficient systems into the running of the bar and cellar! He has since taken part in management training sessions as well as a European project which involved him travelling to Austria and Belgium to present policy recommendations to the EU around climate change. Ben co-founded the walking club with Liz and loves running up the hills! Almost as much as he loves cleaning and tidying!
Sarah
Sarah is our green-fingered Pumpkin Queen who keeps the pub and gardens growing beautifully, while serving customers, cleaning up and providing a hot and cold buffet twice a week for the pub Cosy Club! She’s pretty amazing and responsible for all the pub’s incredible event décor – obviously Halloween is her favourite!
Great British Pub Awards Best Community Pub Finalist 2025!
To be named a finalist in the national Great British Pub Awards was an amazing achievement for all at the Lock & Quay. Our sector is facing the hardest challenges yet, so please keep on using your fantastic local pubs, restaurants & cafes! Thank you to all at the Great British Pub Awards for organising a brilliant event!
PubAid's Community Pub Hero of the Year 2025!
This Community Support Hero England Award recognises licensees who help their communities and pubs who are good neighbours to their local community. The pub won because it stood out as the only community-owned pub in the whole of the Liverpool City region and all profits are reinvested into Bootle.
CAMRA'S Community Pub of the Year 2022!
CAMRA Awards – In 2022, we were so delighted to receive the prestigious ‘Special Award’ from the Liverpool and Districts branch of CAMRA, for the Lock & Quay’s commitment to it’s community. Many of our quality real ales are brewed on-site at Stamps brewery based at SAFE! No carbon footprint – just rolled across the pub garden!
