London: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is to follow team-mate Jamie Carragher's lead by opening a new restaurant on Merseyside.
The 29-year-old midfielder will team up with renowned restaurateur and hotelier Paul Adams to relaunch the Warehouse Brasserie in Southport in time for this summer's World Cup, with further ventures believed to be planned.
Gerrard lists the Warehouse - which has a Michelin Bib Gourmand, amongst other awards - as his favourite restaurant, and said he is delighted to be involved as co-owner.
"If you look back at any interviews I have done where they’ve asked me about my favourite restaurant, and I’ve done a lot over the years, I’ve always said the Warehouse," he commented.
"I’ve been eating there for years because I love the food and the atmosphere, so it’s genuinely exciting to become its co-owner with Paul."
Gerrard was also eager to stress that his involvement with the restaurant - following in the footsteps of Carragher, who owns two restaurants in Liverpool city centre - will not have any impact on his football.
"I certainly don’t want to just be the 'celebrity' face of the restaurant," he added.
"This is not a theme bar, it’s about great food, great surroundings and making it a place that people really want to come back to.
"This is my first venture in the restaurant trade but I think it’s important to also say that my priorities are, and always will be, on the football pitch."
Adams, who also owns the Vincent Hotel in Southport, said: "To have Steven join our team is just fantastic.
"Our plan is to firstly launch the Warehouse Kitchen & Bar, in Southport, and then look at expanding, to areas such as Liverpool, Chester and south Manchester.
"We were having dinner one evening and discussing the plans for the Warehouse, Steven really liked the idea and suggested we do it together, which I obviously thought was a great idea and here we are.
"I’d echo what Steven says about this not being a 'celebrity' restaurant. Steven is simply one of the owners and, like me, he shares a passion for great food and great design. If you don’t get those right then nobody will come back, no matter who owns it, and I’m confident we have come up with a winning formula."
The restaurant, fully refurbished and with its inspiration taken from the new wave of 'hipster bars' popular in New York’s Tribeca district, is due to open at the end of April.
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