From Simone's to Belzan: How a hospitality magnate seduced Liverpool's tastemakers

Dear readers — welcome to the first lifestyle and culture edition of The Post, bringing together stories and recommendations from across the worlds of food, drink, art and music. For over two years, the existence of a “culture bumper” has been bound about the office, before another scoop inevitably swept Abi and Laurence away and the idea faded into the background.

Not this time, though. As part of our 2026 resolutions, we want to bring you an edition like this once a month, comprising quick fire interviews, Q&As, reviews and our top picks for things to do across the Liverpool city region. While scoops and hard-hitting investigations are our bread and butter, it’s important to celebrate some of Merseyside’s wins, too. 

That’s why today’s edition brings you an interview with hospitality’s man with the Midas touch: Christopher Edwards, the owner of acclaimed bars Sister Ray and Simone’s, and co-owner of restaurants Belzan and Madre. Additionally, Laurence finishes up his Q&A with Bruno Castro from Liverpool’s Doc Club, and we share our top event and exhibition recommendations — including an alternative celebration of Valentine’s Day. 

We hope all this gets you excited about what this wonderful region has to offer, and we’d love it if you get in touch with us with your own recommendations, reviews and thoughts — do so on editor@livpost.co.uk. 

But before we dig in — your regularly scheduled Post briefing. 

Your Post briefing

An update on our investigation into Andrew Milne: the London solicitor has now been found guilty of stalking a court reporter. The Post first became aware of the 63-year-old lawyer after he sent threatening letters to homeowners in Southport and Sheffield, demanding they spend thousands of pounds to buy leaseholds from him. A year prior to our story about his antics, legal blogger Daniel Cloake met Milne and was subjected to around 120 emails from him containing "aggressive threats of litigation and uninvited sexual innuendo". He also left two voicemails on Cloake's phone on his birthday, sent him a book and was filmed "loitering outside" his home. Milne is due to be sentenced in March, and is also currently being investigated by South Yorkshire Police and the Solicitors Regulation Authority over the demands he made towards leaseholders.

And Waterloo restaurant Da Mount Gurka has taken home two prizes at the Nation's Curry Awards. The Nepalese restaurant first opened its doors in 2015, and has already won titles such as Liverpool’s Best Curry House and Customer’s Choice of the Year. At the Curry Awards earlier this week, the restaurant cleaned up again: earning the Special Recognition Award and the Best Nepalese Restaurant prize. Congrats!

How a hospitality magnate seduced Liverpool's tastemakers

If you’re a fan of cocktails, or merely an avid social media scroller, it is likely you’ve come across one of Chris Edwards’ viral bars and eateries. After purchasing his first bar (the old Filter and Fox on Duke Street) a decade ago, the 38-year-old has gone on to build some of the city’s most reputable venues — from the award-winning Belzan bistro and Madre taco restaurant, to the internationally recognised cocktail bars Sister Ray and Simone’s. 

All have their own distinct sense of style. Sister Ray’s moody red lighting, large glass windows and plush leather seating make it a sought after spot for first dates and casual drinks; while the renovated basement of Simone’s provides a livelier alternative, with queues of visitors forming outside its curtained doors each weekend ready to dance under the disco ball.