The Beatles Quarter

14860 Views 149 Replies 38 Participants Last post by Ged, Sep 21, 2009

Chris B

Discussion Starter · Jun 16, 2009

From the Daily Post -

Liverpool Penny Lane are to become 'The Beatles Quarter'

Jun 16 2009 By Luke Traynor

A NEW Penny Lane District could be created in south Liverpool to attract thousands of visitors to the city.

A stretch of Mossley Hill and Allerton may soon be rebranded the Beatles quarter giving a huge boost to the area.

Smithdown Place, Allerton Road, Rose Lane and Penny Lane could form part of the new Fab Four zone.

Specially-made signs would be put up along the two-mile route giving information about the quarter.

City leaders feel far more could be done to promote Penny Lane and its surrounding areas.

Councillors have called for a "Bohemian-style" tourist offering so more Fab Four fans spend longer in south Liverpool – rather than limiting their trip to the city centre.

The ideas for a more cafe- orientated district, with widened walkways are set to be presented to residents in Allerton.

If well-received locals themselves will effectively give their go-ahead to proposals to start the area’s revamp.

Plans are already under way to give a major facelift to an area of derelict land on Penny Lane, between the wine bar and Dovedale Towers.

The Penny Lane Development Trust (PLDT) secured £760,000 of Big Lottery funding to refurbish a run-down and disused building on the site.

It will be completed by March and will feature local art and access for coaches visiting Penny Lane to enter the grounds.

The rest of the former open space, donated to the PLDT as a gift by Liverpool council, will also be transformed.

Money is yet to be secured, but plans to open a gift shop and a Beatles museum to bring more music tourists to the area are being talked about.

Article continues here - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk...to-become-the-beatles-quarter-92534-23886363/

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Chris B

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jun 16, 2009

Also from the Daily Post -

Beatles quarter: Lonely Hearts Club no more for closed Sgt Pepper's bistro

Jun 16 2009 By Luke Traynor

THE deadlock behind the long-time disused Sgt Pepper's Bistro, in the mooted Penny Lane Quarter, could soon be broken.

Owner Ray Maatook has revealed how a planing application to transform the eyesore restaurant is soon to be unveiled.

The former bus office and public toilet has long frustrated the residents of Allerton as it has remained closed for years.

Plans to build a first-floor extension hit the buffers in 2007 after Liverpool city planners objected claiming it would obstruct views of nearby St Barnabas’s church.

Now, Sgt Pepper’s new amended scheme could win favour as it features a cylindrical-style first floor to house diners, allowing for disabled facilities on the ground floor.

Mr Maatook recently apologised to the people of south Liverpool for the impasse at his premises, which has seen the outlet remain empty for years.

The building was originally a tram stop and inspectors’ office, with public toilets added to the back of the building.

It later reopened as a cafe and restaurant, decorated with Beatles photographs, posters and Fab Four memorabilia.

From here - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk...or-closed-sgt-pepper-s-bistro-92534-23886414/

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Chris B

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 16, 2009

And finally from the Daily Post -

Beatles quarter: New businesses must be found for Liverpool Penny Lane shops

Jun 16 2009 By Luke Traynor

IMPORTANT sites in the new Penny Lane District remain empty after businesses were forced to close amid the recent credit crunch.

Woolworths, on Allerton Road, closed its doors, prompting an idea for a local businessman to create a 60-stall market on its grounds.

Requests for stalls have included a sweet stall, a jewellers, photographer, rugs, interior and fashion and a florist.

The proposal has won support in the community as residents feel the area is now dominated by bars, estate agents and betting shops.

Rents from individual and family-run businesses have tended to struggle at the expense of national chains due to spiralling rent prices.

Farther down Allerton Road, close to the library, speculation is growing over the future over the now-empty Odeon cinema site.

A developer has made a tentative enquiry to Liverpool council planners about building modern apartments above the row of bars between Yates Wine Lodge and the now- empty Odeon.

The proposal, from a firm who own the buildings on that stretch, is understood to be at an early stage and could even involve knocking down or refurbishing the existing bars to accommodate the flats.

From here - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk...or-liverpool-penny-lane-shops-92534-23886415/

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Jesus wept!

For a council that sanctioned the demolition of the original Cavern club because it was seen as an irrelevance, the current council with its obsession with 'quarters' is sure making up for lost time.

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Babaloo

· #5 · Jun 16, 2009

Maybe we can have a 'Scottie Road' quarter, a 'Tocky' quater, a Maybrick quarter, A Gladstone quarter, any-other-quarter-u-like? Cutting business rates so that empty shops become more viable might be more of a help.

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Cherguevara

· #6 · Jun 16, 2009

I think I just died a little inside.

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Babaloo

· #7 · Jun 16, 2009

It's the kind of mentality that sanctions filling the city centre with one bedroom flats. It seems like a good idea at the time - as you fill your fat, greasy face with another mouthful of doughnut before trying to wash it down with luke-warm filter coffee. It probably looks good on paper, too. That part of town is only just this side of naff at the moment, this could be a tipper.

I sometimes think that if it weren't for LCC, I might like the Beatles a whole lot more.

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markonasty

· #8 · Jun 16, 2009

The idea of quarters produces solid foundations in delivery; it allows regeneration and strategy to be delivered on a block by block basis.

It has worked well in Liverpool in such instances like the Ropewalks, Culture Quarter etc...

The problem here is that LCC are becoming too focused on small individual quarters, this will cause the City and its resources to be fragmented. Do we need a Beatles Quarter here? The short answer is No.

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buggedboy

· #9 · Jun 16, 2009

Not sure what makes it naff at the moment as there is approximately er..nothing at all down there related to the Beatles at the mo (apart from some dissapointed looking tourists walking about). It makes sense in some ways that the asset is sweated a little more. We probably feel it more keenly because we want to be seen as far more than just the B word. There is clearly more to us than that, but maybe a couple of additions in the area would be ok. That'd be it though.

If we can use that as a hook to get them to walk about the area and see other things, then I think it could work. We'd need to reinforce the obvious stuff with other stuff, maybe non-Beatle based art, local history stuff etc. Maybe even a cinem......oh.

Ah well, count ourselves lucky. I was in Chester on Sunday and they don't have a cinema OR a theatre in the city anymore.

I personally hink we should have a Jennifer Ellison quarter, although if you ever go down Concert Square after dark, it's arguable we already have one.

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buggedboy

· #10 · Jun 16, 2009

Plus, you'll note it's only the newpaper that refers to a Beatles Quarter. There is no LCC strategy as such.

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thecityofgold

· #11 · Jun 16, 2009

The Beatles are of dwindling significance to younger generations. In 20 years I can't see many people visiting Liverpool on the back of a band that will by then have not recorded anything for 60 years. To continue to open new Beatles themed attractions will look ill conceived and wasteful.

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Awayo

· #12 · Jun 16, 2009

buggedboy said:
I personally hink we should have a Jennifer Ellison quarter, although if you ever go down Concert Square after dark, it's arguable we already have one.

Ha! :lol:

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Babaloo

· #13 · Jun 16, 2009

It's a strategy with diminishing returns. I agree that Ropewalks worked. Most people laugh at the 'Cultural quarter' - it's meaningless. Then Hope Street, Knowledge, Gay ... mmm, it's getting a bit close to parody - like a Gordon Brown relaunch. I agree that it provides a useful planning heuristic that helps to focus but the law of diminishing returns cautions against over-use.

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Babaloo

· #14 · Jun 16, 2009

thecityofgold said:
The Beatles are of dwindling significance to younger generations. In 20 years I can't see many people visiting Liverpool on the back of a band that will by then have not recorded anything for 60 years. To continue to open new Beatles themed attractions will look ill conceived and wasteful.

Strangely enough, I suspect that they are least popular with Liverpudlians or metro-Liverpudlians within that age group. It's almost cool to say how much you dislike them. People from abroad within that age group seem to love them and it's growing all the time. I don't think we get the Beatles but others clearly do. Ged Fleming knows where all the Bealtes sites are in that area - he should be getting a consultant's fee for his expertise. That awful Sergeant Pepper bar bistro thing is no doubt the sign of things to come (hopefully less derelict, mind).

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tucbiscuit

· #15 · Jun 16, 2009

I live by Penny Lane and although I am not keen on the Beatles I view it as good news. It is a nice area, but could do with a lift, this may give it.

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Louis1986

· #16 · Jun 16, 2009

thecityofgold said:
The Beatles are of dwindling significance to younger generations. In 20 years I can't see many people visiting Liverpool on the back of a band that will by then have not recorded anything for 60 years. To continue to open new Beatles themed attractions will look ill conceived and wasteful.

I doubt that will happen to be honest, people go to Saltzburg to see Mozart's birthplace, or Vienna to see Beethovens grave, and these are people whose music still holds influence 200 years later. As long as it is done well I dont see the issue, its a great way to get tourists and money to the city. People will still visit Graceland in the future, so its the same principle, if its there we might as well use it, but there should be new ways of achieving this, and not in a tacky way.

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the pool08

· #17 · Jun 16, 2009

what's up with you all.

the biggest band in the world, what other city would ignore this fact.

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MR KITE

· #18 · Jun 16, 2009

^^^^^^^^
Exactly. London,Hamburg and New York have Beatles attractions that are still popular.To say the beatles wont be a tourist draw in 20 years is absolute rubbish. You can't underestimate their influence and worldwide appeal.

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eyeam

· #19 · Jun 16, 2009

Councillors have called for a "Bohemian-style" tourist offering so more Fab Four fans spend longer in south Liverpool – rather than limiting their trip to the city centre.

How does branding an area and making it all focused on one thing make it "bohemian"?

Surely it will actually be less bohemian if this plan goes through.

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ill tonkso

· #20 · Jun 16, 2009

Liverpool City Council really needs to move on from the Beatles :\ You never here Birmingham mouthing off about being the birthplace of heavy metal, theres no Ozzy Osbourne Quarter.

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