Bold Street, Liverpool
Encyclopedia
Bold Street is a street in Liverpool
, England
. It is known for its cafés and for the Church of St Luke
, which is situated at the top end. The bottom end leads into the area surrounding Clayton Square, which is part of the main retail district of central Liverpool. The bottom end contains more shops which are chain stores. Liverpool Central
, one of Liverpool's main stations after Liverpool Lime Street
, can also be accessed via an entrance on Bold Street next to The Lyceum
, a post office which was Europe's first lending library. The middle area contains bars as it leads towards Concert Square
, a square containing clubs and bars, and the top end contains more independent shops and cafes. For the most part, Bold Street is pedestrianised and cars do not have access.
In recent years, the street has formed the basis of a local urban legend
regarding time slip
phenomena in which people have claimed to travel briefly back in time to Bold Street as it was in the 1950s and 1960s. Liverpool Echo 30 October 2003 Maghull Star 31 May 2007
; a long thin area of land used in the manufacture of rope (the area is now known as 'Rope Walks'). They used to measure the rope from the top of Bold Street to the bottom because it was the standard length needed for sailing ships.
It was laid out for residences around 1780 and named after Jonas Bold, a noted slave merchant
, sugar trader and banker. In 1802 Bold became Mayor of Liverpool
. It was also known as "the Bond Street
of the North."
Merchants that worked on the docks needed houses close by. Therefore houses were constructed in Hanover Street first, followed by Duke Street and then Bold Street. The fields that were an in the area earlier were also developed quickly into houses. Although there had been port-related industrial activity in the area, with roperies occupying the site of what is now Bold Street to supply the sailing ships, this intensified along with a demand for residential properties so that the merchants could be located close to their business interests.
The festival also hosted the world's smallest nightclub with an entrance fee of only 50 pence.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is known for its cafés and for the Church of St Luke
Church of St Luke, Liverpool
St Luke's Church in Liverpool, England, is located on the corner of Berry Street and Leece Street opposite the top of Bold Street. It was designed by John Foster, and construction of the building began on 9 April 1811, with consecration taking place on 12 January 1831.On Monday, 5 May 1941, St...
, which is situated at the top end. The bottom end leads into the area surrounding Clayton Square, which is part of the main retail district of central Liverpool. The bottom end contains more shops which are chain stores. Liverpool Central
Liverpool Central railway station
Liverpool Central railway station is a railway station in Liverpool, England, and forms the central hub of the Merseyrail network, being on both the Northern Line and the Wirral Line. In the years 2008/09, Liverpool Central station was shown to be the busiest station in Liverpool, despite being...
, one of Liverpool's main stations after Liverpool Lime Street
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
, can also be accessed via an entrance on Bold Street next to The Lyceum
The Lyceum, Liverpool
The Lyceum was a gentlemen's club in Bold Street, Liverpool, England. It also housed Europe's first lending library, and in later years was pressed into service as the city’s head post office. The colonnaded front looks out onto Bold street...
, a post office which was Europe's first lending library. The middle area contains bars as it leads towards Concert Square
Concert Square, Liverpool
Concert Square is a square located in Liverpool City Centre, England. The square itself and its surrounding streets of Wood Street, Fleet Street, Seel Street and Concert Street are populated with some of the city’s best known bars and nightclubs. The area is therefore often referred to as the hub...
, a square containing clubs and bars, and the top end contains more independent shops and cafes. For the most part, Bold Street is pedestrianised and cars do not have access.
In recent years, the street has formed the basis of a local urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
regarding time slip
Time slip
A time slip is an alleged paranormal phenomenon in which a person, or group of people, travel through time via unknown means...
phenomena in which people have claimed to travel briefly back in time to Bold Street as it was in the 1950s and 1960s. Liverpool Echo 30 October 2003 Maghull Star 31 May 2007
History
Bold Street was originally laid out as a ropewalkRopewalk
A ropewalk is a long straight narrow lane, or a covered pathway, where long strands of material were laid before being twisted into rope.Ropewalks historically were harsh sweatshops, and frequently caught on fire, as hemp dust forms an explosive mixture. Rope was essential in sailing ships and the...
; a long thin area of land used in the manufacture of rope (the area is now known as 'Rope Walks'). They used to measure the rope from the top of Bold Street to the bottom because it was the standard length needed for sailing ships.
It was laid out for residences around 1780 and named after Jonas Bold, a noted slave merchant
Atlantic slave trade
The Atlantic slave trade, also known as the trans-atlantic slave trade, refers to the trade in slaves that took place across the Atlantic ocean from the sixteenth through to the nineteenth centuries...
, sugar trader and banker. In 1802 Bold became Mayor of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. It was also known as "the Bond Street
Bond Street
Bond Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London that runs north-south through Mayfair between Oxford Street and Piccadilly. It has been a fashionable shopping street since the 18th century and is currently the home of many high price fashion shops...
of the North."
Merchants that worked on the docks needed houses close by. Therefore houses were constructed in Hanover Street first, followed by Duke Street and then Bold Street. The fields that were an in the area earlier were also developed quickly into houses. Although there had been port-related industrial activity in the area, with roperies occupying the site of what is now Bold Street to supply the sailing ships, this intensified along with a demand for residential properties so that the merchants could be located close to their business interests.
Bold Street Festival
Bold Street has held a festival for the past 3 years. In 2010, this took place on Sunday 26 September. The festival celebrates Liverpool's alternative shopping area. Sarah Newton said 'Cities all over are under pressure to homogenize more, to look more like one another, but Bold Street just looks like Liverpool and I think it's really important that we highlight this.'. The festival included pavement art, dance workshops, a parade from Liverpool samba group, street performers and a ceremonial street clean .The festival also hosted the world's smallest nightclub with an entrance fee of only 50 pence.