Liverpool’s Chinatown is home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe. Settlers began arriving as long ago as 1834 as trade with the Far East was developing and growing. The community began to grow significantly in the second half of the nineteenth century.
At the top of Nelson Street is the Chinese Arch which dominates the area. Constructed by craftsmen in Shanghai it was assembled and completed here in Liverpool in time for the new year celebrations in 2000. It has become the focal point of celebrations of the Chinese New Year ever since..
2019 is the Year of the Pig and celebrations were held over three days with a good mix of arts and cultural events. The whole city centre gets involved with red Chinese lanterns in the trees in the major shopping streets, significant buildings in the city illuminated with red light and a trail featuring the animals of the Chinese zodiac as large murals on buildings and shop fronts by local artist Cherie Grist.
The pig takes centre stage on a wall next to the Chinese Arch.
For many, especially children, the festivities are all about the parades with dragon and lion dancing. The colour, the music and the movement make it an superb experience to witness, especially if the weather is kind as it was on Sunday.
In an earlier post I looked at the 5 Reasons to Visit Liverpool . These were the the things that should be done on a first time trip to the city. If you have more time available you may want to dig a little deeper into the city and explore some of the other reasons that make Liverpool such an excellent destination for a weekend or short break.
Bold Street. Bold Street has had something of a resurgence in recent years and has become a hub for independent retailers, restaurants and cafés. It runs from Hanover Street in the city to join Renshaw Street opposite Liverpool’s Bombed Out Church. At the city end is The Lyceum.
Built in 1802 it has been through a number of incarnations including a gentleman club, a library, a cafe and a post office. It was saved from demolition in the early 1970s but sadly the building is currently vacant.
Heading up from The Lyceum the lower part of the street is a fairly traditional shopping street but one past the junction with Concert Street it reveals its independent heart. Some retailers have been on the street for years, both Mattas and News From Nowhere are Bold Street institutions.
They have been joined by a host of others. Leaf is perfect for tea and the Artisane bakery across the street has lovely coffee, bread and patisserie. If you fancy something a little more substantial then Mowgli and Maray are good options but there are plenty of others.
The Baltic Triangle. An up and coming area just outside the city centre. Home to tech start ups, cafés, restaurants and bars it is very much a happening area. The area is also well known as a centre of street art and I have covered this in a previous post (here) .
For coffee try The Baltic Bakehouse, which also has some amazing sourdough bread, on Bridgewater Street or Baltic Creative on Jamaica Street. If you have an hour or so to spare try a game of Ghetto Golf. Grab a drink at the Baltic Social or Gibberish Tap Room (do check opening times as it does seem to change). If you are there at the weekend try the Baltic Market in the old Cain’s Brewery for some excellent street food.
Street Art. If a visit to the Baltic Triangle has whet your appetite there is plenty more to see and the beauty is it is always changing. There are a lot of pieces in Oldham Place and you can even take a graffiti class at Zap Graffiti on Saturday afternoons.
Church of St Luke. The Bombed Out Church
Located close to the Bombed Out Church on Leece Street why not combine the two combine the two. Entry to the gardens around the church is free. For the more adventurous there is more art to be seen in the streets around London Road .
Craft Beer. The rise in the popularity of craft beer has been as big as that for artisan gin. As a result there are some good options in the city. The Dead Crafty Beer Company on Dale Street has 19 taps which change frequently and they hold regular tap takeovers. Across the road is a beer drinking institution, The Ship and Mitre. A pub for real ale aficionados but also with good selection of craft beers. Heading out of town towards the Baltic Triangle is The Baltic Fleet. In the Triangle itself there is The Baltic Social and Gibberish Taproom.
Natural Wine. Paralleling the growth of the craft beer and gin markets has been the interest in natural/biodynamically produced wines. R & H Fine Wines is a wine merchant hidden away on Queen Street, a small alley off Castle street, close to the Town Hall. They have a great selection of interesting wines from around the world and is well worth searching out. Bunch Wine Bar on Berry Street has an ever changing selection of wines available by the glass or bottle. Hidden away in a small courtyard off Hardman Street is the Buyers Club. There is something for everyone here, eight craft beer taps, natural wines, cocktails and food. Its a relaxing chilled out place to spend an hour or two, especially early evening.
In previous posts I have looked at the street art that can be found around The Baltic Triangle and in the area close to London Road . In this post I will consider the art that can be found in and around Oldham Place as well a few other locations.
Oldham Place is quite hidden away and is not the sort of place you’d casually stumble across on a walk in the city. It can be found just off Roscoe Street which runs between Mount Pleasant and Leece Street. The nearest local landmark is The Bombed Out Church. The Roscoe Head is a very fine public house that you will also come across on Roscoe Street.
Oldham Place is the home of Zap Graffiti, here you can buy art supplies or take a graffiti art class held on Saturday afternoons. It has much to offer and gives a second reason to visit, if one were needed.
In the yard round the back there is a huge Back to the Future piece that takes up a whole wall.
The use of colour on some of the pieces is quite outstanding.
From the splendours of Oldham Place a short walk will bring you to the following locations.
Slater Street. Home to three pieces that formed part of the Contrast Mural Festival in Spring 2018.
