Jose KunnappallyLiverpool: This iconic city in Northern England has many firsts and superlatives to its credit. UNESCO City of Music. European Capital of Culture. Home to six universities and two Premier League football clubs. UNESCO World Heritage City. Railways, transatlantic steamships, municipal trams and electric trains were all pioneered here as modes of mass transit. The UK’s oldest surviving classical orchestra and the world’s first lending library.
Some cities are known for their vibe, others for their culture, some else for their efficiency. For Liverpool, I think it’s the atmosphere. It is difficult to explain any further; one has to experience it
Liverpool is the fifth most popular destination in the UK for international visitors and the most filmed British city after London. There are attractions scattered throughout the city and more museums and galleries than any other UK city outside of the capital. It has an unparalleled history and legacy in music and sports, excellent shopping options and bustling night life, too. In 2017, Liverpool welcomed 8,39,000 visits – staying 3.658 million nights – and a total spend of £358 million. Yet the number of Indian visitors to the city is less than 10,000 in a year. That is when India is one of the Top 20 source markets for the UK, clocking 5,31,524 visits, £433.89 million in spend and 10.15 million nights as per 2017 reported numbers by VisitBritain.
Says James Wood, Marketing Campaign Manager, Marketing Liverpool, the city’s destination marketing organisation and a division of Liverpool City Council, “the Indian market is very important to us, and we’ve done a lot of work with Indian travel trade. We have worked together with Marketing Manchester on a promotional campaign in India, and so has some of our hero products (e.g. The Beatles Story undertook a trade visit to India to coincide with their exhibition ‘The Beatles in India’).”
It is surprising that Indian visitors who have a die-hard soft corner for music, films and sports, would give a miss to Liverpool, hardly a few hours travel from London by train. Liverpool is where the best selling rock band in history, The Beatles, was formed and the hometown of the Fab Four (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison). This is also the city’s biggest calling card as a sought-after tourist destination. Sherlock Holmes (2009), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2010), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Fast and Furious 6 (2013), and the hugely popular Netflix Original Series The Crown (2018) were filmed in the city. Last but not the least, Bollywood star Amy Jackson is from Liverpool!
Having visited London many times, Northern England was a revelation for me and others, part of the travel trade and media delegation from India to attend ExploreGB, VisitBritain’s annual congregation of partners and stakeholders from around the world. Personally, I like London, having been there for WTM (World Travel Market). But I liked Manchester more the moment I visited there, and started loving Liverpool more than Manchester, when I experienced it. Frankly, one hasn’t seen the UK, if one has only visited London.
VisitBritain’s 2018 numbers will be out end of May (after we go to print). 2018 provisional numbers reported say UK will register 37.5 million overseas visits and £22.7 million spend. In 2019 the forecast is to clock 38.8 million visits and £24.9 million in spend. VisitBritain considers India and China as top prospects for growth as per flight booking data. “North of England, especially cities like Manchester and Liverpool have a lot to offer MICE travellers. A MICE visitor from India spends an average of £1800 per visit in the UK versus a leisure visitor who spends about £900 per visit,” says Shuja Bin Mehdi, B2B Manager – India, VisitBritain.
For Indian outbound travellers, VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) remains top reason to travel to the UK; followed by holidays and business. After dining out and shopping, visiting major cultural attractions is the most popular holiday activity. We travelled by road from Manchester and it takes less than an hour to reach Liverpool. In fact, for groups, hotels in Liverpool arrange transfers from Manchester airport. We checked into a four-star boutique property, Hope Street Hotel, named after the street it is located. Hope Street Hotel sits handsomely in the heart of Liverpool’s Georgian neighbourhood. It has awesome, artistic and clever neighbours – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Everyman Theatre and a plethora of university departments and independent restaurants. Two magnificent cathedrals – Church of England Cathedral and Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King – bookend Hope Street and are within a short stroll from the hotel’s front door.
“North of England, especially cities like Manchester and Liverpool have a lot to offer MICE travellers. A MICE visitor from India spends an average of £1800 per visit in the UK versus a leisure visitor who spends about £900 per visit,” says Shuja Bin Mehdi, B2B Manager – India, VisitBritain.
Typical of English weather, it was sunny, cloudy and drizzling that Saturday afternoon in Liverpool. After checking in and freshening up, we went to experience the award-winning ‘The Beatles Story’, the world’s largest permanent exhibition purely devoted to telling the story of The Beatles’ rise to fame. Located on the stunning UNESCO® World Heritage Site waterfront at the Albert Dock opposite the Wheel of Liverpool (Echo Wheel), The Beatles Story takes visitors on an immersive journey through the lives, times, culture and music of the world’s greatest band.
Says Diane Glover, Marketing Manager of The Beatles Story, “In 2018, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ 1968 trip to Rishikesh by opening a new special exhibition at The Beatles Story. ‘Beatles in India’ features memorabilia, images and exclusive interviews from the people who were staying at the Ashram with the band. It was an important and highly creative period for the Beatles as they studied meditation with the Maharishi and wrote the majority of songs for the White Album. Last season, we welcomed a total of 762 Indian visitors to the exhibition, a 280 per cent increase on the previous year, proving that this is an important new market for us and we hope to continue this growth in the future.”
We returned to the hotel for a site inspection and early dinner. At the hotel tour we met Charlotte Winby, Executive Sales Manager. “As Liverpool’s original boutique hotel which is privately owned and independently run, we have the total flexibility to work with agents on an individual basis, and walk the extra mile to ensure your clients are entirely happy. We have some of the very best views the city has to offer – anyone attending your client’s event on the fifth floor will immediately feel special as they enjoy the panoramic view of Liverpool, the river Mersey and Welsh hills beyond,” says Winby. At the dinner reception, I dived into my main course of chicken, potato, leek, roscoff onion, baby gem and chicken sauce and finished it with lemon tart, blueberries and lemon thyme meringue, at their famous restaurant The London Carriage Works. It is one of the most sought-after restaurants in town with two AA Rosettes and holds an AA Notable Wine award for its extensive and eclectic wine list.
We could have retired early for the night, but Liverpool’s nightlife was beckoning us. Just a short walk from the hotel is Alma de Cuba, the city’s most spectacular restaurant and bar that leaves a lasting impression. Set inside the magnificent conversion of the former St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Alma de Cuba in an eclectic mix of Cuban, Hispanic and Latin American influences pepped up by Liverpool’s great spirit. Enjoy live Samba dance performances while you sip your favourite drink and shake a leg or two at their dance floor.
Sunday morning, I left early to check out the cathedrals. The hotel is equidistant from both the places of worship and the roads were closed due to the John West Liverpool Spring 10K run. Being a Catholic, I chose to go to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. Awe-inspiring is an understatement. It is a dramatic icon of faith, architecture and human endeavour. It is the largest Catholic church in the UK and the only circular cathedral in Europe, allowing every member of the congregation to sit close to the central sanctuary. The unique structure has 16 boomerang-shaped concrete trusses and the crown of pinnacles at the top. The extensive use of stained glass washes the interiors in electric blue, red and yellow hues, giving it a surreal touch. Beneath the altar lies a unique opportunity to view one of the city’s greatest architectural gems, the Lutyens Crypt and Treasury.
After a rushed breakfast, I joined the team for a ‘walking tour’ of Liverpool. This is one of the best ways to explore the city. Biking tours are also possible if the weather does not play spoil sport. Some cities are known for their vibe, others for their culture, some else for their efficiency. For Liverpool, I think it’s the atmosphere. It is difficult to explain any further; one has to experience it.
Our Blue Badge Guide Geoff Cook led us through the walk, stopping at many places of interest. There is so much of history, architecture, art and culture to imbibe, sometimes it can get a little overwhelming. We passed by Hope Street Suitcases, Anglican Cathedral, Radio City Tower, World Museum, Wellington’s Column (Waterloo Memorial), Empire Theatre and reached Albert Dock. We wandered around the dock as the extremely cold breeze almost froze us. We had selfie moments at Liverpool Mountain, Billy Fury Statue, Lambanana installations in front of Museum of Liverpool and The Beatles Statue near Mersey Ferries (the city’s most popular selfie spot!), before crossing the streets to The British Music Experience. Here, one will learn all about British bands and musicians of the last century, as well as see iconic memorabilia from artists such as Freddie Mercury and David Bowie – a true must for any music fan!
Any visit to the Pier Head is incomplete without paying one’s respect to the The Three Graces – The Royal Liver Building, the clock faces of which are the largest in the country; Port of Liverpool Building and the Cunard Building – together forming one of the most beautiful skylines in the world.
We were running late for lunch and walked briskly to the Hard Days Night Hotel nearby, passing Mathew Street where The Cavern Club, the birthplace of Beatles, is located. This boutique luxury hotel, recently picked up by Millennium Hotels and Resorts, stands as the world’s only Beatles-inspired hotel, with rooms elegantly furnished with Beatles-inspired artwork. Jan Morris, Sales Manager, Hard Days Night Hotel enthralled us with Beatles stories as she showed us around the property. “The Hard Days Night Hotel is so much more than just a hotel. Apart from being a superb quality product it also offers nostalgia and evokes memories from an inspirational era with its unique artworks, photographs and selection of Beatles memorabilia. A must see during your stay is Hari’s Bar which tells of The Beatles’ time in Rishikesh in 1968, which was a spiritual quest for the Fab Four and a key time for creativity,” says Jan. The Lennon and McCartney suites are the most indulgent experiences money can buy for a Beatles fan.
Post lunch, we rushed to Liverpool One for shopping. High-end department stores John Lewis and Debenhams are here, so is every upscale brand. We hardly had an hour. Liverpool One needs at least half a day to do some justice. And don’t forget about the VAT refund. For many Indian travellers, shopping is an integral part of holidaying. So let me spoil you more with this little information: Cheshire Oaks, UK’s largest Designer Outlet, is just 20 minutes away from the city centre. We left unseen more than we ever got to see of Liverpool in just about 24 hours. Liverpool can comfortably engage a traveller for four nights and five days. The hotel tariff is much lower compared to London or even Manchester. It’s a small beautiful city which can be covered pretty much by walking or cycling. The atmosphere of the place seeps in to your senses and you succumb to its surreal ambience and charismatic aura. Now and forever.
Top Attractions
Liverpool has attractions scattered throughout the city and more museums and galleries than any other UK city outside of the capital. Each attraction is leading in its own right, but there seems to be a few ‘big hitters’ that everyone wants to know about.
The Royal Albert Dock
Located on Liverpool’s incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site waterfront, the Albert Dock structure features the largest collection of Grade I-listed buildings in the whole country. The Albert Dock is one of the UK’s finest heritage attractions – a walk around the quayside will take visitors past little sweet stores, world-class museums like Merseyside Maritime Museum, International Slavery Museum and Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock’s home of British and international modern & contemporary art and culture, and The Beatles Story – yes, all things Beatles – and a number of bars and restaurants.
For more Beatles, the Magical Mystery Tour leaves from the Albert Dock and takes fans to the famous sites of Strawberry Field and Penny Lane and ends at the Cavern Club. With the National Trust, you can even step inside Lennon and McCartney’s childhood homes. For more music but less Beatles, you’ll have to wander over to the Pier Head for the British Music Experience that explores popular British Music from 1940 to present day.
British Music Experience
The British Music Experience tells the story of British music through costumes, instruments, performance and memorabilia. See outfits worn by artists from Freddie Mercury and Dusty Springfield, to the Spice Girls, Adam Ant and X Factor finalists and musical instruments played by some of the world’s most renowned artists from Noel Gallagher to the Sex Pistols. There’s even hand written song lyrics from Adele, the original statues from the Brits and the Apple Corp front door from Saville Row. Teenagers will love to try their hand at being a rock star by testing the vocal booth and smaller children can enjoy the show and dance the decades in the dance pop routines studio! The Merch Store for gifts and memorabilia, and the Star Café offering a selection of delicious snacks and meals, complete the experience.
www.britishmusicexperience.com
The Beatles Statue
An iconic statue of the Fab Four in their hometown. The Beatles Statue arrived on Liverpool’s Waterfront in December 2015. Donated by the famous Cavern Club, the placement of the statue coincided with the 50th anniversary of the band’s last gig played in Liverpool, at the Liverpool Empire Theatre. It’s the city’s most popular selfie spot! The figures are larger than life-size and weigh 1.2 tonnes in total. They were sculpted by Andrew Edwards who also created the All Together Now Christmas Truce WWI statue.
The Beatles Story
Join The Beatles on their journey; first conquering Liverpool, and then the world, through recreations of key locations from the band’s career, including The Casbah Club, The Cavern Club, and Abbey Road Studios. Multi-media audio guides are available in 11 different languages. They are beautifully narrated by John Lennon’s sister, Julia. The free guide is packed with information and imagery, and features video interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, giving visitors a unique insight into the story of the Fab Four. A must for any music fan, The Beatles Story features an impressive collection of fascinating memorabilia, including the band’s original instruments, John Lennon’s New York piano, Ringo Starr’s drum kit, rare album sleeves, photography and original lyrics. New items recently introduced include the original Strawberry Field Gates, the ‘Holy Grail’ record that launched The Beatles, Brian Epstein’s Jacket and to mark 50 years since the release of Sgt Pepper, a range of new memorabilia, including a full set of authentic replica suits. Finish your perfect historical experience in one of two Beatles-themed Fab4 Cafes or browse through a fantastic range of products available from one of the Fab4 Stores. In 2018, The Beatles Story celebrated 50 years since The Beatles travelled to India with the launch of a special exhibition.
www.beatlesstory.com
St. John’s Beacon (Viewing Gallery Experience)
Built in 1969, the top of St. John’s Beacon was a revolving restaurant and observation gallery. In 1979 the tower shut down. It was refurbished in 1999 and opened as Radio City in August 2000. At 400 ft. above, the Radio City Tower Viewing Gallery offers 360 degree panoramic views of Merseyside, the Wirral, North Wales and as far away as the Cumbrian Hills on clearer days. They are open daily from 10.30 am until 5.30 pm. Admission prices include a full colour souvenir booklet. There is no need to book in advance and there is no time limit on your stay.
Chinese Arch and China Town
Find Liverpool’s Chinatown on Nelson Street at the top of the bustling Duke Street and explore one of Europe’s oldest and largest Chinese communities. With its 200 dragons, five roofs and sheer complexity it is well worth taking the time to view the Chinese Arch. Don’t forget the wide angle lens for your photographs.
Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ The King
One of the city’s two immense cathedrals, an architectural gem in its own right, with a Crypt that is one of the most significant works in the UK by the leading British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Church of England Cathedral
Also known as Liverpool Cathedral and built on St James’ Mount, it is the largest cathedral and religious building in Britain. It took more than five decades to build the church and the total external length of the building, including the Lady Chapel (dedicated to the Blessed Virgin), is 189 m, making it the longest cathedral in the world. In terms of overall volume, Liverpool Cathedral ranks as the fifth-largest cathedral in the world. It is also the world’s largest stone structure. With a height of 101 m, it is one of the world’s tallest non-spired church buildings and the third-tallest structure in the city of Liverpool.
Fact Sheet
- 64 million people visit the Liverpool City Region each year
- Liverpool is the fifth most popular destination in the UK for international visitors
- Liverpool has been voted the third best UK destination in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2019
- Liverpool has more museums and galleries than anywhere outside of London
- Liverpool has the most number of Grade II-listed buildings outside of London
- Liverpool holds the Guinness Book of Records title for being the ‘Capital of Pop’
- Liverpool is UNESCO City of Music
- Liverpool is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Liverpool was the European Capital of Culture in 2008
- Liverpool is home to 6 universities, 90,000 students with 30,000 graduates each year
- Liverpool is home to Europe’s longest established Chinese community and Europe’s largest Chinese Arch (which stands 14 m tall!)
- More than 60 languages are spoken in Liverpool every single day
- Liverpool is home to two Premier League football clubs – Liverpool and Everton
- Liverpool is the most filmed British city outside of London
- The world’s first Tropical School of Medicine opened in Liverpool
- In 1715, the world’s first commercial wet dock was built in Liverpool
- Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral is the largest in Britain and the fifth largest in the world
- Liverpool was the first city in the world to open a lending library
- The railway between Liverpool and Manchester was the first passenger line of its kind
Did You Know ?
Super Lambanana
As you make your way around the city, you might come across a very strange sculpture going by the name ‘Lambanana’. Dotting the town decked out in different guises and designs, these unique statues are a cross between a banana and a lamb and were actually designed by Manhattan-based Japanese artist Taro Chiezo. They’re both a comment on the dangers of genetic engineering and also heavily influenced by the history of Liverpool: as historically, both sheep and bananas were common cargos in the city’s docks.
Hope Street Suitcases
‘A Case History’, otherwise known as ‘The Hope Street Suitcases’ by the locals, were created by John King and went on display on the pavements of Hope Street in 1998 and have lived there ever since, with a slight adjustment or two. Each case is labelled with the person it ‘belongs to’ with each one having a famous owner from the Liverpool region. There is a sign detailing which case belongs to who but it is always fun to try and find your favourites for yourself. See if you can find each of The Beatles cases!
Liverpool Mountain
Liverpool Mountain by internationally renowned artist Ugo Rondinone is a major new public artwork for the city region. The 10-metre high sculpture is situated on Liverpool’s historic waterfront and consists of vertically-stacked rocks painted in bright fluorescent colours. Reminiscent both of ancient totems and of land art, Liverpool Mountain is inspired by naturally occurring Hoodoos – spires or pyramids of rock – and the art of meditative rock balancing. The sculpture appears to defy gravity in its teetering formation, poised between the natural and the manmade. Launched as part of the Liverpool 2018 programme, Liverpool Mountain marks the 10th anniversary of Liverpool European Capital of Culture, the 20th anniversary of Liverpool Biennial and the 30th anniversary of Tate Liverpool.
Where to stay?
Liverpool city centre has 69 hotels/apart-hotels/guesthouses (as of December 2018) offering about 7000 rooms. Currently, nine hotel/apart-hotel projects are under development which will add another 1000-plus hotel rooms and apart-hotel suites. In 2018, six new hotels were added and two major refurbishments took place.
Highly Recommended
Hard Days Night Hotel (HDN)
The brainchild of Bill Heckle and Dave Jones, owners of the nearby Cavern Club, the hotel features Beatles artwork by renowned artists and many photographs from the 1960s onwards. Featuring 110 rooms, including The Lennon and McCartney suites, HDN has several bars and a restaurant, and three event spaces, the largest being a 120-seat conference facility. An extremely popular venue for weddings – the hotel hosts about 70 each year. The Hard Days Night shop next door, sells Beatles merchandise.
www.millenniumhotels.com/en/liverpool/hard-days-night-hotel-liverpool/
Hope Street Hotel
This dog-friendly boutique four-star hotel opposite the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall is city chic with original features of pink Cheshire brick, iron pillars and pitch pine beams. The cherry and walnut bespoke furniture and solid oak and birch floors complement the favourite colour – white. The hotel offers seven different room types, including standard, deluxe, studios, suites and penthouses. There are multiple venues for weddings and corporate events.
www.hopestreethotel.co.uk
Retail Therapy
Liverpool One
www.liverpool-one.com
Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet
www.mcarthurglen.com/en/outlets/uk/designer-outlet-cheshire-oaks
Mice
Every hotel, restaurant, museum, stadium, gallery and cathedral in Liverpool as well as some of the signature experiences like The Beatles Story offer unique options for organising events. Add to this the Arena and Convention Center (ACC) Liverpool, a multipurpose events and convention venue on the former King’s Dock, which houses the 11,000-seat M&S Bank Arena and the BT Convention Centre. The Exhibition Centre Liverpool opened in 2015, connected to the main complex by a sky bridge. In 2016, the four-star Pullman Liverpool Hotel opened, offering luxury accommodation with its 216 bedrooms.
Connectivity
Excellent air connectivity between Indian metro cities and London/Manchester via Middle East carriers. Unfortunately, the direct connection between Mumbai and Manchester got cancelled due to Jet Airways’ bankruptcy.
- 2 hours by train from London | 45 min by road from Manchester
Bus Tours
Red Route City Tour – Multilingual, Hop-On, Hop-Off tour of the city. 50 minutes duration.
www.visitliverpool.com/things-to-do/sightseeing-and-tours
Cycle Tours
Guided cycle tours of Liverpool and surrounding areas. 3 hour duration.
www.liverpoolcycletours.com
VAT REFUND
International visitors from outside the European Union (EU) are entitled to reclaim the Value Added Tax (VAT) of 20 per cent. Not applicable for taxes levied on services such as hotels and rail tickets. Shopping online or by mail order doesn’t count, too. Look for shops that display the ‘Tax-free shopping’ sign. You have to be in the shop at the time of purchase, but you don’t have to be the person who pays. Show your passport or national ID card, and tell the retailer that you want to shop tax-free. Tourists can request a tax refund form from the retailer, along with the receipt. Before you leave the UK, present the form to the Travelex counter or the Customs desk located at airports for refund.
For more information
Travel Trade: www.marketingliverpool.co.uk
Travellers: www.visitliverpool.com
(The author was hosted by VisitBritain)
