Liverpool without The Beatles

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What would Liverpool, as a tourist city, be like if the mania that happened in the early 60’s never existed?

I am a classic example as one of thousands of people within Liverpool City region who have depended on a full time job due to the fab four. I’m lucky my career has spanned 25 years from when I first started in tourism in 1997. Back then, The Beatles weren’t taken as seriously but still, The Magical Mystery tour would depart twice daily as I started my first full time job at The Beatles Story in the Albert Dock. Instead, I might have found an office-based job either on the Wirral or in Liverpool hopefully based around the history of the city. I always had high hopes of working in St Georges Hall or in one of the museums associated with Liverpool’s history. 

If we were to wipe out any association of the famous band this would mean scrubbing out some of Liverpool’s most iconic and major landmarks to boot… 

  • Mathew Street 

  • The Cavern Club

  • The Magical Mystery Tour 

  • The Beatles Story 

  • The Beatles Museum 

  • No UNESCO music status for the city 

  • Hard Day’s Night Hotel 

  • John Lennon Airport would still be Speke! 

  • No L.I.P.A 

  • Fab four taxi tours 

  • Penny Lane Visitors Trust 

  • Mendips & Forthlin Road tours: National Trust 

  • Beatles Statue & Pier Head 

  • International Beatles Week (August bank Holiday) 

You might notice I have included The Cavern Club on the list even though in its former heyday as a jazz club, then building into the premier music location in the city. It closed down in May 1973 to make way for demolition. If it wasn’t for the Beatles heritage, it most probably (in my opinion) wouldn’t have been rebuilt. Then that completely changes the infrastructure on Mathew Street which has become a Beatles mecca. This will then cancel out The Cavern Restaurant, The Wall of Fame, The John Lennon Statue, The Cavern Pub and Roag Best’s fantastic new edition The Beatles Museum. 

Now, Let’s take a little car ride to the outskirts of the city. There are some key locations in which tourist flock to during the tourist season but this would be very different especially at Penny Lane. This Street is 874 metres long and at the North Mossley Hill end especially during a typical cruise day you would possibly see around 8 coaches (at one time) parking to grab that photo opportunity of the street sign. This would all be wiped out for plenty of parking for the university students and Spire visitors. Who Knows! Freddie Mercury once scwatted at his bandmate’s parents pub. This just happened to be Dovedale Towers situated on Penny Lane and Freddie was a massive Beatles fan. Would this have been different or even would Queen still have existed due to the influence of the Beatles. Then as we drive across the Allerton Road junction into the bus terminal, just the hustle and 

bustle of bus commuters. People shopping nothing else. No tour guides pointing to the bus shelter in the middle of the roundabout, The Bank where the banker never wore a mack, the Barber showing photographs. So with nothing to see here we make our way in Woolton Village and take in the beauty and classy area. Drive up Church Road which is home to St Peters church which is the resting place of Bob Paisley, Liverpool Football Club’s greatest manager of all time. Obviously, we won’t cross the road over to the Village Hall because nothing important happened there on the evening of the 6th July 1957. Just the Woolton Village Hall Dance when members of the public got together for a dance and drink. From here we will drive through the lovely village and then drive past the remains of the grounds of the former Salvation Army home. If we where to turn left onto Menlove Avenue you can take in the splendour of the middle-class area of L25 with the extra wide road where the trams once ran in the middle. There is also a municipal Golf course and a park area called Allerton Towers which is 35 acres and open all year long. So much beautiful greenery in and around this area. As we make our way back via the Blomfield estate and on Mather Avenue which is parallel to Menlove Ave, you notice the different class of housing but still looked after with pride. 

As we make our way back into town, we drive along Hope Street which is part of Georgian Liverpool. This is home to Blackburne House and the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and some cracking film locations. Not forgetting two amazing cathedrals situated at each end. Just off Hope, on Mount Street is an old building of heritage (grade 2 listed) The Liverpool Institute or back in its heyday nicknamed by pupils ‘The Inny’ This was the boys grammar school for the city and you had to pass your exam to enter. The building was closed in 1985. It’s a shame really that nothing could have been put in place to make it a centre of learning for music and create new generations of musicians and creative arts experts. Sad heh! 

I’m hoping by now you are getting the jist of what I’m trying to highlight. There are millions of Beatles fans around the world but there are also some people with an attitude against them for whatever reason. I get laughed in the face on many occasions when it is announced that I have a Masters Degree in the subject of the Beatles. It’s something I am very proud of and worked extremely hard for. There is always that question? What did the Beatles ever do for Liverpool? Many fans where despondent in the 60’s when they moved from the city down to London saying they have betrayed the fans and city. The main reason was all the recording studios were down there. For Liverpool’s tourism industry (before Covid) that enjoyed the riches of £90 million in income from the Beatles industry alone I think it’s fair to say those for lads have given a lot to this fab place and the thought of me being behind a desk with a boring office job instead of countless walking and coach tours throughout the season, isn’t even worth thinking about. 

Thanks Lads x