I’ve been doing this for years. No one asked me and no one thanks me, but someone’s got to do it. Check how the place is doing.
So every now and then, particularly when it’s a nice day, I take my camera and my curiosity and go where my feet, and the occasional bus take me. To inspect Liverpool.
Today begins, as so many have these last few years, with Granby 4 Streets, the last remaining original streets in Granby. And they’re looking beautiful in the sunshine.
Ducie Street.
Jermyn Street.
Granby Street itself.
Cairns Street.
Beaconsfield Street.
Now, whisper it, and cross all your fingers, toes and thumbs too, but things are looking reasonably positive for the 4 Streets at the moment. ‘Discussions are continuing’ – that’s all I’m saying.
Meanwhile, along Princes Avenue:
Upper Stanhope Street.
Showing the damage that gets done when a street’s houses are removed, and replaced by new ones that turn away from the street. There’s not much there there.
So thank goodness for Egerton Street, and Peter Kavanagh’s.
And thank even more goodness for the jaw-dropping glory that is Huskisson Street.
Every street benefits from being peered over by a good cathedral.
Doesn’t it?
Along Hope Street with the tourist buses.
Peering up pavement café Falkner Street. All well there.
And down along Hope Place.
On a day like this nearly all these south Liverpool streets look wonderful and much loved. Even the largely empty streets of Granby, I know, are much loved and being much worked on. I’ll be back another day to see how things are for the Welsh Streets, but now it’s Festival Time.
Singing from the Liverpool City College.
News from Nowhere’s ‘Bolshy Bargain Bookstall.’
Strolling in the sunshine on Leaf.
The Kasbah.
Bringing Morocco to Bold Street.
Maria from Movema gets the dancing going.
And it’s peaceful.
The usual Bold Street but a bit more dressed up.
And, well, multi-generational.
With giants.
And angels.
I liked it. It was a bit more low key than I’ve known it to be. Less visiting stalls. But I think that placed more attention on the shops and cafés that are there all the time. And that’s as it should be. A beautiful place, celebrating itself and, ideally, attracting in some new people.
All good there then. So, next I’m off to inspect some of North Liverpool.
Catching the 19 bus to Walton Lane.
But that’ll be for the next post. Walton, Stanley Park, Anfield, Everton and back to the City Centre, on foot.
To find the Bold Street Festival winding down and giant bouncers attempting and failing to clear the street!
So, come back next time for ‘Inspecting Liverpool, Part Two.’
Fantastic as always Ronnie, I used to work all these streets when i was an auxiliary ambulance driver for the nhs especially jermyn st and we met so many many lovely ordinary people
Another great post! I love the bringing together of the Granby Streets and the area around the Cathedral, and I’m hopeful for the Four Streets. I love Bold Street, News From Nowhere and the Pavement Cafe – went to the latter on the photo research for my book.Very much looking forward to the next post!
Thanks Martin, yes, part 2 will be a literal pacing of the landscape of North Liverpool!