53°24′23″N 2°59′12″W / 53.4063°N 2.9868°W / 53.4063; -2.9868
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 Statue of Carl Jung, with plaque bearing quotation. Armadillo Tea Rooms, circa 1980's |
The Armadillo Tea Rooms was a café in Liverpool that was a significant part of the early '80s music scene. They were in business from 1978 into the 1990s.
Description
The Liverpool café's significance to the early '80s music scene[1] was helped by their proximity to Mathew Street and Probe Records.[2][3][4][5]
Patrick Clarke, in The Quietus described it as
The Armadillo was the control room, where bands, fanzine writers, artists and organisers would congregate over cheap pots of tea, swapping ideas, theories, proclamations and band members.[6]
They were especially noted for the furry seat covers on the toilets.
History
The tea rooms was in business from 1978 to the 1990s,[7] possibly until 1992.[7]
As of 2025, the building is now occupied by "The Flanagan's Apple"[8] (also known as Flanagan's Apple Irish Pub[9]).
References
- Reynolds, Simon (2 April 2009). Totally Wired: Postpunk Interviews and Overviews. Faber & Faber. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-571-25229-9.
- "Legendary Liverpool Clubs Of Yesteryear".
In 1976 Eric's regular Pete Wylie was sitting in a café in Mathew Street, making a mug of tea last all afternoon
- "Larks in the Park". Groovin Records.
- "Five go mad on Merseyside". Zang TuUmb Tum and all that.
- "Beatles in 1983".
1983: In Liverpool, Paul has lunch with his brother Michael at the Armadillo tea rooms.
- Clarke, Patrick (10 April 2018). "Eric's, Probe And The Armadillo: The Story Of Liverpool Music, 1976-1988". The Quietus. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
- Molyneux, Jess (5 July 2024). "Lost tea rooms became 'synonymous' with famous Liverpool street". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
- "The Flanagan's Apple". The Flanagan's Apple. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
- "Armadillo Tea Rooms now Flannagans Pub In Mathew St". Flickr. 9 March 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2014.