Liverpool City Centre2 to 4 November 2026

Hideout

The first retreat2026

A private retreat for magicians and mentalists. Two full days of workshops and lectures with Lloyd Barnes, Jake Keane and Darren Close, plus an optional dinner the night before.

Book your place The programme

Places are strictly limited

01

The retreat

Hideout is for magicians and mentalists who want to go further than what is sold in shops. Over two days the hosts teach underground methods, the real work behind them, and strange and bizarre magic.

This is the very first HIDEOUT, so everyone in the room is there from the start. Numbers are kept deliberately small so that everyone gets proper time with the hosts. The exact venue is shared with those who book.

Dates
Monday 2 to Wednesday 4 November 2026
Location
Liverpool City Centre
Format
Two days of workshops and lectures
Edition
The very first HIDEOUT
Places
Strictly limited
02

Programme

An optional evening to meet everyone, followed by two full days of teaching.

  1. Mon 2 NovEvening

    Welcome dinner

    Optional

    Food and drinks with the hosts and the rest of the group before the retreat begins.

  2. Tue 3 NovAll day

    Day one

    Workshops and lectures on underground methods, and the real work that makes them play.

  3. Wed 4 NovAll day

    Day two

    Workshops and lectures on strange and bizarre magic, and how to perform it so it stays with people.

Optional

The Monday dinner

Monday 2 November, evening

The night before the retreat starts, we meet up for food and drinks.

It is a relaxed evening and a good chance to meet the hosts and the rest of the group before the teaching begins. Coming along is entirely up to you. If you are travelling in on the day, you will not miss any of the retreat itself.

The restaurant and timings are arranged together in the group chat closer to the date.

03

Your hosts

Three creators, each teaching the material they save for themselves.

Lloyd Barnes 01

Lloyd Barnes

Creator, performer and lecturer

After fifteen years inside the biggest companies in magic, Lloyd went independent and founded Fourth Floor, a training platform for magicians who care about the art.

Fourth Floor
Jake Keane 02

Jake Keane

Founder of The Real Underground

A mentalist and esoteric researcher from Liverpool. Jake builds methods and tools that most performers never get to see.

The Real Underground
Darren Close 03

Darren Close

Mentalist and deceptionist

Darren teaches material from his working shows, and the thinking that sits underneath it.

Whisper Inc.
04

Practical

Help with the practical side, from where to stay to getting there.

Accommodation

If you need somewhere to stay, the hosts can help you find a hotel or apartment in the city at a reasonable price. Just let us know once you have booked.

Where to stay

Private group chat

Everyone attending is added to a private group chat. We use it to plan the practical side together: booking meals, helping with accommodation, answering travel questions and sharing updates with you directly.

Venue

The retreat takes place in Liverpool City Centre. The exact venue is shared with everyone who books, along with the final plan and timings.

Where to stay in Liverpool

Hotels, apartments and prices for 2 to 4 November

Most people will want the nights of Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 November, checking out on the Wednesday. Midweek in early November is one of the quieter and cheaper times to stay in Liverpool, and the city centre is compact enough to walk everywhere.

Typical prices

TypePer nightTwo nightsWhere to look
BudgetPer night£40 to £80Two nights£80 to £160Premier Inn, Travelodge, easyHotel and ibis all have city centre hotels. The Liverpool Pod hostel starts from around £25.
Mid rangePer night£60 to £120Two nights£120 to £240Novotel Liverpool Centre, Hard Days Night Hotel and Hilton Liverpool City Centre.
BoutiquePer night£110 to £200Two nights£220 to £400The Municipal Hotel, Hope Street Hotel and 30 James Street.
ApartmentsPer night£60 to £150Two nights£120 to £300Aparthotels like Staycity on Duke Street and Adagio Liverpool City Centre, or a flat on Airbnb. The top of the range is a larger place you could share.

Good areas to stay

Ropewalks and Bold StreetIndependent food, bars and coffee. Lively at night.
Liverpool ONE and Albert DockThe waterfront, the shops and most of the big hotels.
Lime Street and Dale StreetRight by the main station. Easy if you arrive by train.
Hope Street and the Georgian QuarterQuieter, handsome streets between the two cathedrals.

Worth knowing

  • Choose free cancellation. Your place is not confirmed until we have been in touch, so book a room you can cancel.
  • Share and save. If you are happy to share with others from the retreat, an apartment often works out cheapest. Ask in the group chat.
  • Getting here. Liverpool Lime Street is the main station. John Lennon Airport is around half an hour from the centre by taxi or bus.
  • No car needed. Everything in the city centre is walkable. If you do drive, check your hotel has parking or book a car park ahead.
Search hotels for these dates Search apartments

Prices are a rough guide based on typical midweek rates and will change. HIDEOUT has no connection with any of the places named here.

05

Book your place

Places at HIDEOUT 2026 are extremely limited, so every booking is reviewed by the hosts before a place is confirmed.

  1. 1Book your ticket using the button.
  2. 2The hosts get in touch to confirm your place, the venue and the final plan.
  3. 3If your place is confirmed, you are added to the private group chat to plan meals, travel and accommodation. If we cannot fit you in, your payment is refunded.
Your place is not guaranteed until we have been in touch.

Spaces are so limited that, when we schedule and finalise the plan, some bookings may have to be refunded. If that happens to yours, your payment is returned to you.

Payment is handled securely by Stripe. By booking you understand that your place is confirmed only once the hosts have been in touch. Questions before you book: hello@jakekeane.com