Liverpool City Centre
Encyclopedia
Liverpool city centre is the commercial, cultural, financial and historical heart 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...

, 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...

.

Unlike many other cities in the United Kingdom, a ring road
Ring road
A ring road, orbital motorway, beltway, circumferential highway, or loop highway is a road that encircles a town or city...

 doesn't distinguish the city centre from the remainder of Liverpool, although an inner ring road of sorts does exist, with the recent completion of a new road off Hall Lane, to the east of the city centre, which now connects all the major city centre orbital roads. The inner city districts of Vauxhall, Everton, Edge Hill, Kensington
Kensington, Liverpool
Kensington is an inner city area of Liverpool, England. It is located immediately to the east of Liverpool city centre, and is bordered by Everton to the north, Fairfield to the east and Edge Hill to the south....

 and Toxteth
Toxteth
Toxteth is an inner city area of Liverpool, England. Located to the south of the city, Toxteth is bordered by Liverpool City Centre, Dingle, Edge Hill, Wavertree and Aigburth.-Description:...

 mark the border with Liverpool city centre. The immediate city centre consists of the postal districts of L1, L2 and L3, although L6, L7 and L8 cover some parts of the outer city centre also.

Liverpool was granted borough status in 1207, and the original seven streets of the settlement can now be found within the "commercial district" of Liverpool city centre. Many of Liverpool's most famous landmarks are located in the city centre and in 2006 Liverpool was visited by 625,000 international visitors alone, making it the fourth most visited city in the United Kingdom and the ninety-first most visited on earth. Six areas within Liverpool city Centre form the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City
Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City
The Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City is a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site in Liverpool, England. It comprises six locations in the city centre of Liverpool including the Pier Head, Albert Dock and William Brown Street, and includes many of the city's most famous landmarks.UNESCO received...

 which is a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

 designated World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...

. Liverpool city centre is one of the most architecturally significant locations in the country. Examples of the impressive and varied architecture in Liverpool city centre include Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral is the Church of England cathedral of the Diocese of Liverpool, built on St James's Mount in Liverpool and is the seat of the Bishop of Liverpool. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool but it is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin...

 (the fifth largest church building in the world), St. George's Hall
St. George's Hall, Liverpool
St George's Hall is on Lime Street in the centre of the English city of Liverpool, opposite Lime Street railway station. It is a building in Neoclassical style which contains concert halls and law courts, and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building...

 (described by Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....

 as 'worthy of ancient Athens'), the Royal Liver Building
Royal Liver Building
The Royal Liver Building is a Grade I listed building located in Liverpool, England. It is sited at the Pier Head and along with the neighbouring Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool Building is one of Liverpool's Three Graces, which line the city's waterfront...

 (which is considered Britain's first skyscraper), Oriel Chambers
Oriel Chambers
Oriel Chambers is the world's first metal framed glass curtain walled building. Designed by architect Peter Ellis and built in 1864, it comprises set over five floors...

 the world's first metal framed glass curtain walled building and West Tower
West Tower
West Tower is a 40-storey tall skyscraper in Liverpool, England. The building was the second tower to be built by Carillion in Liverpool for property developers Beetham, who now use the building as their headquarters.-Description:...

 (currently the second tallest building in the United Kingdom outside of London).

City Centre Map

Chinatown

The Chinatown in Liverpool city centre
Chinatown, Liverpool
The Chinatown in Liverpool, England is located near the city centre's southern edge close to Liverpool Cathedral, and is home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe. The arch located at the gateway is also the largest, multiple-span arch of its kind outside of China, the largest single-span...

 is home to the oldest Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...

 community in Europe, dating back to the 19th century. Chinese are now the largest visible ethnic minority group in the city numbering up to 30,000. Numerous Chinese-owned supermarkets, restaurants and community groups are spread across Liverpool's Chinatown. The Liverpool Chinese Gospel Church and the Liverpool Chinese Christian Disciples Church are also located within the area. The arch located at the gateway to Chinatown, Liverpool is also the largest of its kind outside of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

.

Commercial District

Liverpool's "commercial district" is a term given by business to distinguish Liverpool's business and commercial centre from the rest of the city centre.

It is centred around Old Hall Street and it the financial heart of Liverpool, many businesses and companies have a strong presence in the area. Since the mid-2000's many new building and redevelopment projects have taken place in the commercial district, which is now home to some of the tallest buildings in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...

. Some notable properties within the commercial district include the headquarters of the Post & Echo
Post & Echo Building
The Post & Echo Building is located at 95 Old Hall Street in Liverpool city centre, England, and houses the headquarters of the Liverpool Echo and Daily Post newspapers. It is also known as Metropolitan House and as City Tower. The building was completed in 1974, and used as the headquarters of...

 and offices of Unisys
Unisys
Unisys Corporation , headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States, and incorporated in Delaware, is a long established business whose core products now involves computing and networking.-History:...

, the UK Passport Service
Identity and Passport Service
The Identity & Passport Service is an executive agency of the Home Office in the United Kingdom and became operational on 1 April 2006, succeeding the UK Passport Agency, after the passing of the Identity Cards Act 2006...

, BT
BT Group
BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...

 and Maersk Line. With 36000 m² (387,500.8 sq ft) of floor space, New Hall Place
New Hall Place
New Hall Place is a 13-storey brutalist style office complex in the commercial district of Liverpool, England. At 73 m tall it stands as the ninth tallest building in the city. It was developed by insurance company Royal & SunAlliance as one of their numerous bases within the United Kingdom...

 is the largest office building in Liverpool, The Plaza
The Plaza, Liverpool
The Plaza is a 18-storey office complex in the L3 commercial district of Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. At 65m , The Plaza is Liverpool's joint 14th tallest building. It dominates the city's skyline, especially since it has a length of over 125m - which is two times the building's height...

 is another large office building in the commercial district which is occupied by a number of different companies. The table below shows the tallest buildings within the commercial district (excluding buildings in neighbouring Princes Dock
Princes Dock
Princes Dock is a dock on the River Mersey, England and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is the most southerly of the docks situated in the northern part of the Liverpool dock system, connected to Princes Half Tide Dock to the north...

 or Pier Head
Pier Head
The Pier Head is a riverside location in the city centre of Liverpool, England. It is part of the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was inscribed in 2004....

 - a more detailed list of the tallest buildings and structures in the remainder of Liverpool city centre can be seen here).
Rank Name (Alternate Names) Floors Year Coordinates
1 West Tower
West Tower
West Tower is a 40-storey tall skyscraper in Liverpool, England. The building was the second tower to be built by Carillion in Liverpool for property developers Beetham, who now use the building as their headquarters.-Description:...


(Beetham West Tower)
140 (459)
01.0
40
2008
53.40987°N 2.99668°W
2 Beetham Tower
Beetham Tower, Liverpool
Beetham Tower, Liverpool is a residential apartment building in the British city of Liverpool. Its close neighbour and the tallest building in Liverpool, the West Tower was also developed by the Beetham Organization....

 
90 (295)
16.0
27
2004
53.410°N 2.997°W
3 Unity Residential
Unity Buildings
The Unity Buildings in Liverpool, England consist of the 86 m tall Unity Residential and 64 m Unity Commercial. They are respectively 27 and 16 storeys tall and the city's eighth and thirteenth tallest buildings...

 
86 (282) 14.0 align="center">27 2007 53.407478°N 2.995120°W
4 New Hall Place
New Hall Place
New Hall Place is a 13-storey brutalist style office complex in the commercial district of Liverpool, England. At 73 m tall it stands as the ninth tallest building in the city. It was developed by insurance company Royal & SunAlliance as one of their numerous bases within the United Kingdom...


(The Capital, Royal & SunAlliance Building)
76 (249) 22.0 align="center">13 1974 53.409189°N 2.994693°W
5 Metropolitan House
Post & Echo Building
The Post & Echo Building is located at 95 Old Hall Street in Liverpool city centre, England, and houses the headquarters of the Liverpool Echo and Daily Post newspapers. It is also known as Metropolitan House and as City Tower. The building was completed in 1974, and used as the headquarters of...


(City Tower, Post & Echo Building)
73 (240) 19.0 align="center">18 1974 53.409505°N 2.994565°W
6 Unity Commercial
Unity Buildings
The Unity Buildings in Liverpool, England consist of the 86 m tall Unity Residential and 64 m Unity Commercial. They are respectively 27 and 16 storeys tall and the city's eighth and thirteenth tallest buildings...

 
64 (210) 19.0 align="center">16 2007 53.407478°N 2.995120°W
7 The Plaza
The Plaza, Liverpool
The Plaza is a 18-storey office complex in the L3 commercial district of Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. At 65m , The Plaza is Liverpool's joint 14th tallest building. It dominates the city's skyline, especially since it has a length of over 125m - which is two times the building's height...


(Sir John Moores Building)
65 (213) 23.0 align="center">18 1965 53.410915°N 2.994734°W
8 Silkhouse Court 50 (165) 23.0 align="center">15 53.408624°N 2.991682°W

Canning

Canning
Canning, Liverpool
Canning is an area of Liverpool, England. It lies on the borders of Toxteth and the city centre and bounded to the south by Upper Parliament Street, to the east by Grove Street, to the north by Myrtle Street and to the west by Hope Street....

 is an alternative name for the elegant and mainly Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...

 collection of terraced streets at the edge of the city centre, often referred to as the "Georgian Quarter".

"Hope Street Quarter"

Hope Street
Hope Street, Liverpool
Hope Street, Liverpool, England stretches from Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral past Liverpool Cathedral to Upper Parliament Street. It contains several restaurants, hotels and bars. The road runs parallel to Rodney Street...

 and its immediate vicinity is notable for a number of reasons. The street connects Liverpool's two cathedrals; Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral is the Church of England cathedral of the Diocese of Liverpool, built on St James's Mount in Liverpool and is the seat of the Bishop of Liverpool. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool but it is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin...

 and Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Christ the King is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Liverpool and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool. The Metropolitan Cathedral is one of two cathedrals in the city...

 as well as being home to a large part of the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...

's main campus. Other sites of interest on or near Hope Street include the Everyman Theatre
Everyman Theatre
The Everyman Theatre stands at the north end of Hope Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England. Established in 1964 in a former cinema, it encouraged local talent and played a part in the development of new artistes and writers. The theatre was rebuilt between 1975 and 1977, and was closed again for...

, Unity Theatre
Unity Theatre, Liverpool
The Unity Theatre in Liverpool, England, was formed as the Merseyside Left Theatre in the 1930s. In 1944 it became Merseyside Unity Theatre....

 and Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Kings Dock

Kings Dock has been vastly redeveloped over recent years, and the former dock has now been filled in. The 11,000 capacity Echo Arena is now sited on what was King's Dock as well as a number of new apartment buildings and hotels.

Pier Head and Mann Island

Pier Head
Pier Head
The Pier Head is a riverside location in the city centre of Liverpool, England. It is part of the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was inscribed in 2004....

 is one of Liverpool's most famous locations, it is home to the 'Three Graces' which have dominated the city's skyline for over a century (they are the Royal Liver Building
Royal Liver Building
The Royal Liver Building is a Grade I listed building located in Liverpool, England. It is sited at the Pier Head and along with the neighbouring Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool Building is one of Liverpool's Three Graces, which line the city's waterfront...

, the Cunard Building
Cunard Building
The Cunard Building is a Grade II* listed building located in Liverpool, England. It is sited at the Pier Head and along with the neighbouring Liver Building and Port of Liverpool Building is one of Liverpool's Three Graces, which line the city's waterfront...

 and the Port of Liverpool Building
Port of Liverpool Building
The Port of Liverpool Building , is a Grade II* listed building located in Liverpool, England. It is sited at the Pier Head and along with the neighbouring Liver Building and Cunard Building is one of Liverpool's "Three Graces", which line the city's waterfront...

). The Three Graces are not the only buildings located at Pier Head, the Memorial to the Engine Room Heroes of the Titanic
Memorial to the Engine Room Heroes of the Titanic
The Memorial to the Engine Room Heroes of the Titanic is a granite monument located in St. Nicholas Place, Pier Head, Liverpool, England. The city of Liverpool is strongly associated with the ill-fated liner that sank on April 14, 1912 after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic with the loss...

 is also sited here alongside the Pier Head Ferry Terminal and Queensway Tunnel
Queensway Tunnel
The Queensway Tunnel is a road tunnel under the River Mersey, in the north west of England, between Liverpool and Birkenhead. It is often called the Birkenhead Tunnel, to distinguish it from the Kingsway Tunnel, which serves Wallasey.-History:...

 Ventilation Shaft. Pier Head is bordered to the north by Princes Dock
Princes Dock
Princes Dock is a dock on the River Mersey, England and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is the most southerly of the docks situated in the northern part of the Liverpool dock system, connected to Princes Half Tide Dock to the north...

 and to the south by Mann Island
Mann Island
Mann Island is a small area in Liverpool, England.It lies on the waterfront next to the River Mersey between the Albert Dock to the south and the Pier Head to the north.-History:...

. Mann Island is another section of the Liverpool waterfront which has seen significant regeneration over recent years, the Museum of Liverpool
Museum of Liverpool
The Museum of Liverpool in Liverpool, England, opened on 19 July 2011 and is part of the National Museums Liverpool group....

 and the Mann Island Buildings
Mann Island Buildings
The Mann Island Buildings are a group of buildings in Liverpool, England currently under construction.They comprise three international style mixed use buildings on Mann Island, which lies on the waterfront between the Port of Liverpool Building and the Albert Dock.-Background:Formerly rundown...

 are both under-construction as of September 2010.

Other locations within the city centre

  • "Knowledge Quarter"
    Liverpool Knowledge Quarter
    The "Knowledge Quarter" in Liverpool, England is a modern term in business given to the vicinity of Liverpool City Centre that focuses heavily on the education, knowledge and research sectors....

  • Liverpool One
  • RopeWalks
    RopeWalks, Liverpool
    Ropewalks is a name given to an area of Liverpool city centre that runs from Lydia Ann Street to Renshaw Street widthways, and from Roscoe Street to Hanover Street lengthwise....


Culture

In 2008 Liverpool was the European Capital of Culture
European Capital of Culture
The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by theEuropean Union for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension....

, therefore becoming the first city in England to be awarded the title. The cultural history of the city was celebrated throughout the year and Liverpool city centre saw an influx of tourists to its museums, art galleries and visitor attractions in general. 2008 also saw large scale regeneration with the completion of numerous skyscrapers in the Commercial District as well as the opening of Liverpool One and the Echo Arena. Possibly one of Liverpool's most famous annual events is the Mathew Street Music Festival which takes place every August in various locations throughout Liverpool city centre. As the name suggests, the festival is focused on Mathew Street
Mathew Street
Mathew Street is a street in Liverpool, England, best-known worldwide as the location of the Cavern Club, where The Beatles played on numerous occasions in their early career...

 - a location made famous by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

 where they performed on numerous occasions in The Cavern Club
The Cavern Club
The Cavern Club is a rock and roll club in Liverpool, England. Opened on Wednesday 16 January 1957, the club had their first performance by The Beatles on 9 February 1961, and where Brian Epstein first saw The Beatles performing on 9 November 1961....

. There are numerous music venues throughout the city, the largest being the Echo Arena which has held host to many of the world's top musical acts as well as the MTV Europe Music Awards 2008
MTV Europe Music Awards 2008
The MTV Europe Music Awards 2008 took place on November 6, 2008 in Liverpool, United Kingdom at the Echo Arena. Nominations were officially announced on September 29, 2008. The hosts of the awards were Katy Perry with Jared Leto, Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević of 30 Seconds to Mars hosting the...

 and the MOBO Awards 2010.

Liverpool city centre has a significant number of museums and art galleries, many being owned by National Museums Liverpool
National Museums Liverpool
National Museums Liverpool, previously known as National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, comprises several museums and art galleries in and around Liverpool, England. All museums and galleries in this group have free admission...

. World Museum Liverpool
World Museum Liverpool
World Museum is a large museum in Liverpool, England which has extensive collections covering archaeology, ethnology and the natural and physical sciences. Special attractions include the Natural History Centre and a free Planetarium. Entry to the museum itself is also free...

 is the largest and most diverse of the museums and can be found on William Brown Street
William Brown Street
William Brown Street in Liverpool, England is a road that is remarkable for its concentration of public buildings. It is sometimes referred to as the "Cultural Quarter"...

, adjacent to the World Museum is the William Brown Library and Museum
William Brown Library and Museum
The William Brown Library and Museum is a Grade II* listed building situated on the historic William Brown Street in Liverpool, England. The building currently houses part of the World Museum Liverpool and Liverpool Central Library....

 and Walker Art Gallery
Walker Art Gallery
The Walker Art Gallery is an art gallery in Liverpool, which houses one of the largest art collections in England, outside of London. It is part of the National Museums Liverpool group, and is promoted as "the National Gallery of the North" because it is not a local or regional gallery but is part...

. The Merseyside Maritime Museum
Merseyside Maritime Museum
The Merseyside Maritime Museum is a museum based in the city of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is part of National Museums Liverpool and an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial Heritage...

, International Slavery Museum
International Slavery Museum
The International Slavery Museum in Liverpool is part of the National Museums Liverpool group. It is concerned specifically with the Atlantic Slave Trade, rather than the history of slavery in other regions and eras....

 and Tate Liverpool
Tate Liverpool
Tate Liverpool is an art gallery and museum in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, and part of Tate, along with Tate St Ives, Cornwall, Tate Britain, London, and Tate Modern, London. The museum was an initiative of the Merseyside Development Corporation...

 are all located within the Albert Dock
Albert Dock
The Albert Dock is a complex of dock buildings and warehouses in Liverpool, England. Designed by Jesse Hartley and Philip Hardwick, it was opened in 1846, and was the first structure in Britain to be built from cast iron, brick and stone, with no structural wood...

 complex. Other museums located within Liverpool city centre include the National Conservation Centre and Museum of Liverpool
Museum of Liverpool
The Museum of Liverpool in Liverpool, England, opened on 19 July 2011 and is part of the National Museums Liverpool group....

 which is set to open in 2011 on Mann Island
Mann Island
Mann Island is a small area in Liverpool, England.It lies on the waterfront next to the River Mersey between the Albert Dock to the south and the Pier Head to the north.-History:...

 to replace the Museum of Liverpool Life
Museum of Liverpool Life
The Museum of Liverpool Life was a Museum in Liverpool, England, part of National Museums Liverpool, that focused on the contribution that the people of Liverpool made to national life...

.

Nightlife

Liverpool city centre is noted for its vibrant and diverse nightlife. There are a number of different area's within the city centre that include large concentrations of bars, pubs and nightclubs. They include: Albert Dock
Albert Dock
The Albert Dock is a complex of dock buildings and warehouses in Liverpool, England. Designed by Jesse Hartley and Philip Hardwick, it was opened in 1846, and was the first structure in Britain to be built from cast iron, brick and stone, with no structural wood...

/ Water Street, 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...

, the "gay quarter"
Liverpool gay quarter
Liverpool's "Gay Quarter" is a relatively modern term to identify the gay scene in Liverpool....

, Hardman Street
Hardman Street
Hardman Street is a major street in Liverpool, England. If forms part of the A5039 and joins Leece Street to the west and Myrtle Street to the west. It lies within the postal district L1 in Liverpool city centre. The Philharmonic Dining Rooms is situated on the junction of Hope Street and Hardman...

/ Hope Street
Hope Street, Liverpool
Hope Street, Liverpool, England stretches from Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral past Liverpool Cathedral to Upper Parliament Street. It contains several restaurants, hotels and bars. The road runs parallel to Rodney Street...

 and Mathew Street
Mathew Street
Mathew Street is a street in Liverpool, England, best-known worldwide as the location of the Cavern Club, where The Beatles played on numerous occasions in their early career...

.

Numerous exclusive bars can be found around the Albert Dock and Pier Head
Pier Head
The Pier Head is a riverside location in the city centre of Liverpool, England. It is part of the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was inscribed in 2004....

, whilst Concert Square which is a popular destination for students and young adults contains no less than thirty of the city's largest nightclubs. The Cavern Club
The Cavern Club
The Cavern Club is a rock and roll club in Liverpool, England. Opened on Wednesday 16 January 1957, the club had their first performance by The Beatles on 9 February 1961, and where Brian Epstein first saw The Beatles performing on 9 November 1961....

 which was made famous by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

 is situated in the 'Cavern Quarter' in and around Mathew Street, a number of gay bar
Gay bar
A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT and queer communities...

s can be found in the city's gay quarter
Liverpool gay quarter
Liverpool's "Gay Quarter" is a relatively modern term to identify the gay scene in Liverpool....

, whilst the clubbing mecca that is Nation (home of the Cream
Cream (nightclub)
Cream, based at the Nation nightclub in Liverpool, is one of the best-known night clubs in the UK. Cream began life as a weekly house music night at Nation, and ran in this format for 10 years, from October 1992 to June 2002...

 brand) is also a highly popular nightclub in Liverpool city centre. Amongst Liverpool's most famous nightclubs are Alma de Cuba
Alma de Cuba
Alma de Cuba is a restaurant and bar in Liverpool, England. Located on Seel Street near Chinatown in Liverpool city centre it is most noted for occupying the former St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church , where Mother Teresa once attended mass...

, Baa Bar, BamBooo, Bumper, The Camel Club, Circo, Envi, Flares, Garlands, Heaven, Heebie Jeebies, Holy Joes, Igloo, Koco, Korova
Korova (Liverpool)
Korova is a bar, music venue and restaurant located on Hope Street, Liverpool, England. Before moving to its current premises, it was located on Fleet Street close to Concert Square...

, The Krazyhouse, Le Bateau, Popworld, The Magnet, The Masque, Modo, Mood, Newz Bar, Passion, Walkabout and Zanzibar.

Retail

The retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...

 industry is a vital component in the enconomy of Liverpool city centre, and in 2009 Liverpool ranked nationally as the fifth most popular retail destination. Liverpool's main shopping area consists of numerous streets and shopping centres. Amongst the larger predominantly retail orientated streets in Liverpool city centre are Church Street
Church Street, Liverpool
Church Street is Liverpool's main shopping area, lying between Bold Street to the East and Lord Street to the West. It takes its name from St Peters a church consecraited in 1704 and demolished in 1923. Liverpool One opened fully in October 2008 being the redevelopment of a large part of the...

, Lord Street
Lord Street, Liverpool
Lord Street is one of the main streets in central Liverpool, England that forms the city's main shopping district. The street is relatively short at less than 300 metres in length, it joins on to Church Street to the east and James Street alongside Derby Square and the Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts...

, Bold Street
Bold Street, Liverpool
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...

 and Mathew Street
Mathew Street
Mathew Street is a street in Liverpool, England, best-known worldwide as the location of the Cavern Club, where The Beatles played on numerous occasions in their early career...

. Liverpool One opened fully in October 2008 being the redevelopment of a large part of the postcode area L1—hence the name. It is also partly built on the old Chavasse Park
Chavasse Park
Chavasse park is an open space in the city centre of Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. It was named in commemoration of the Chavasse family; Francis and his twin sons Christopher Maude Chavasse , and Noel Godfrey Chavasse Chavasse park is an open space in the city centre of Liverpool, England,...

, but much of the park still remains. Previous to the opening of the Liverpool One complex, St. John's Shopping Centre
St. John's Shopping Centre
St John's Shopping Centre is the largest covered shopping centre in the city of Liverpool, located in the heart of the city since 1969 and boasting over 100 retailers...

 was the largest shopping centre in Liverpool, it still remains the largest covered shopping centre in the city. Clayton Square Shopping Centre
Clayton Square Shopping Centre
Clayton Square Shopping Centre is an inner-city shopping centre located in Liverpool, England. It is in close proximity to Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool Central railway stations. It is the city's fourth largest shopping centre behind Liverpool One, St. John's Shopping Centre and Metquarter...

 is also located in the very centre of the city as is Metquarter
Metquarter
Metquarter is an luxury shopping centre consisting primarily of boutique stores located in central Liverpool, England.-History:The current Metquarter building previously served as Liverpool's General Post Office, and was probably the finest post office in the UK, reminiscent of a French chateau...

, an upmarket shopping centre consisting primarily of boutique stores (such as Armani Exchange, Diesel, Flannels
Flannels Group
The Flannels Group is a chain of independent luxury designer stores, founded by Neil Prosser in 1976. Its stores are mainly based in the north of the United Kingdom : Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Cardiff, Cheshire and Liverpool.- Brands :...

, Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss
Hugo Ferdinand Boss was the founder of clothing company Hugo Boss.-Early life:Boss was born in Metzingen, Germany. After completing his apprenticeship and one year of employment, he founded his own company in Metzingen in 1923.-Support of Nazism:Boss joined the Nazi Party in 1931, two years before...

 and Tommy Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger
Thomas Jacob "Tommy" Hilfiger is an American fashion designer and founder of the premium lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger.-Early life:...

), it opened in 2006. Another ambitious retail project for Liverpool city centre was also approved for construction in 2010, Central Village
Central Village, Liverpool
Central Village is shopping, leisure, commercial and residential development that is currently under-construction in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. The complex is being built over Liverpool Central railway station, the UK's second busiest underground station outside of London...

 will be built around Liverpool Central station and Lewis's Department Store
Lewis's
Lewis's was a large department store in Liverpool city centre. It was formerly the flagship of a chain of department stores under the Lewis's name, that operated from 1856 to 1991, when the company went into administration. Several stores in the chain were bought by the company Owen Owen and...

. The largest Primark
Primark
Primark is a clothing retailer, operating over 223 stores in Ireland , the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Belgium...

 store in the world can be found on Church Street, whilst Liverpool One is anchored by two large John Lewis
John Lewis (department store)
-Recent developments:In June 2004, John Lewis announced plans to open its first store in Northern Ireland at the Sprucefield Park development, the province's largest out of town shopping centre, located outside Lisburn and from Belfast. The application was approved in June 2005 and the opening of...

 and Debenhams
Debenhams
Debenhams plc is a British retailer operating under a department store format in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and franchise stores in other countries. The Company was founded in the eighteenth century as a single store in London and has now grown to around 160 shops...

 stores alongside the largest Topshop
Topshop
Topshop is a British clothes retailer with shops in over 20 countries and online operations in a number of its markets. Its sales come primarily from women's clothing and fashion accessories...

 outside of London.

Transport

Liverpool Lime Street railway station
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...

 is the mainline railway terminus in Liverpool city centre providing direct connections to many points in Great Britain. Liverpool is home to one of the few rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...

 rail networks in the United Kingdom with four underground stations. Liverpool Central station
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...

 and Moorfields station
Moorfields railway station
Moorfields station is an underground railway station in Liverpool, England. It is situated on both the Northern and Wirral Lines of the Merseyrail network and is the only station on the network which has services to all other Merseyrail stations....

 have platforms that serve both the Merseyrail Northern
Northern Line (Merseyrail)
The Northern Line is one of the two commuter rail lines operated by Merseyrail in Merseyside, England. The other line is the Wirral Line. A third line of the Merseyrail Network, the City Line, is not owned or operated by Merseyrail, although funded by Merseytravel.The Northern Line passes...

 and Wirral Line
Wirral Line
The Wirral Line is one of the two commuter railway lines operated by Merseyrail that are centred around Merseyside, England, the other being the Northern Line...

s, while Lime Street underground and James Street station are located on the Wirral Line. The Lime Street mainline station also provides local services on the Merseyrail City Line
City Line (Merseyrail)
The City Line is the name given to local rail routes out of Liverpool Lime Street station, Liverpool, Merseyside. It appears on maps of the Merseyrail network as red, and covers the Liverpool-Wigan Line as well as the two routes of the Liverpool-Manchester Line...

.

Over three and a quarter miles of disused rail tunnels lay under the city centre, ready for reuse if necessary.

Numerous A roads lead into Liverpool city centre including the A5036
A5036 road
The A5036 is a road in Merseyside, England, which comprises two separate sections separated by a gap of .The northern section is a section of trunk road, travelling from Seaforth through Litherland before terminating at the Switch Island junction in Netherton...

, A5047, A5052, A5053, A562
A562 road
The A562 is a road in England which runs from Liverpool to Warrington.At Liverpool the road is known at first as Parliament Street, then Upper Parliament Street, Smithdown Road, Allerton Road, Menlove Avenue, Hillfoot Road, Hillfoot Avenue and Higher Road, before joining Speke Boulevard.It ends in...

, A565
A565 road
The A565 is a road in England that runs from Liverpool in Merseyside to Tarleton in Lancashire. It is a primary route linking the town of Southport to Liverpool and to Preston ....

, A580
A580 road
The A580 is a primary A road in England that connects Walton, near Liverpool and Salford, near Manchester and known officially as Liverpool-East Lancashire Road. Locally, the road is shortened to the "East Lancs". The road was designed and built to provide better access to the Port of Liverpool for...

 and the A59
A59 road
The A59 is a major road in the United Kingdom that runs from Liverpool in Merseyside, to York in North Yorkshire.-Merseyside:The A59 begins in the centre of Liverpool at the mouth of the Birkenhead Tunnel, and heads north out of the city, first as Scotland Road in Vauxhall, then Kirkdale Road,...

. The Kingsway Tunnel
Kingsway Tunnel
The Kingsway Tunnel is a road tunnel under the River Mersey in Merseyside, northwest England, and runs between Liverpool and Wallasey. It is one and half miles long and is often called the Wallasey Tunnel to distinguish it from the older Queensway Tunnel which runs between Liverpool and...

 and Queensway Tunnel
Queensway Tunnel
The Queensway Tunnel is a road tunnel under the River Mersey, in the north west of England, between Liverpool and Birkenhead. It is often called the Birkenhead Tunnel, to distinguish it from the Kingsway Tunnel, which serves Wallasey.-History:...

, which are both toll roads, run under the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....

 connecting Liverpool city centre to Wallasey
Wallasey
Wallasey is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England, on the mouth of the River Mersey, at the northeastern corner of the Wirral Peninsula...

 and Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...

 respectively. There are numerous bus stops and stations across Liverpool city centre, however the main interchanges are Queen Square bus station
Queen Square bus station
Queen Square Bus Station serves the city of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The bus station is owned and managed by Merseytravel.It is situated adjacent to Queen Square in the city centre and is approximately 300 metres away from the Lime Street railway station.There are 13 bus stands and a travel...

 and Liverpool One bus station
Liverpool One Bus Station
Liverpool One Bus Station is located in Canning Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England. Formerly known as Paradise Street Interchange, it was situated on Paradise Street close to Lord Street with access from the nearby Liverpool One shopping centre...

 which are managed by Merseytravel
Merseytravel
Merseytravel Merseytravel Merseytravel (MPTE, or Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive, is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination of public transport in the metropolitan county of Merseyside, England...

, and are served primarily by Arriva North West
Arriva North West
Arriva North West is a division of Arriva that operates bus services around North West England. It consists of two companies: Arriva North West Ltd and Arriva Merseyside Ltd....

 and Stagecoach Merseyside
Stagecoach Merseyside
Stagecoach Merseyside is a major operator of bus services in the English city of Liverpool and in the surrounding area of Merseyside. It is a subsidiary of the Stagecoach Group...

. There are services to all corners of the city and as far afield as Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...

 and Preston.

Such companies as the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, P&O
P&O
P&O may refer to:* Pickling and oiling raw steel.* Phosphate conversion coating and oiling aluminium, zinc, cadmium, silver, or tin.-Shipping:* Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, a former British shipping and logistics company....

 and Norfolkline
Norfolkline
Norfolkline was a European ferry operator and logistics company owned by Maersk. It provided freight ferry services on the English channel, Irish Sea, and the North Sea; and passenger ferry services on the English channel and Irish Sea; and logistics services across Europe...

 operate out of the Port of Liverpool which is within the city centre adjacent to the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....

. These companies run daily ferry services to Dublin, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

 and the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...

. The Mersey Ferry
Mersey Ferry
The Mersey Ferry is a ferry service operating on the River Mersey in north west England, between Liverpool and the Wirral Peninsula. Ferries have been used on this route since at least the 12th century, and continue to be popular for both local people and visitors.The current fleet consists of...

 operates between the Pier Head
Pier Head
The Pier Head is a riverside location in the city centre of Liverpool, England. It is part of the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was inscribed in 2004....

 and the Wirral
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...

. The only major forms of transport not readily available in Liverpool city centre are via trams and air, although trains and buses link Liverpool city centre to Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an international airport serving the city of Liverpool and the North West of England. Formerly known as Speke Airport, RAF Speke, and Liverpool Airport the airport is located within the City of Liverpool adjacent to the estuary of the River Mersey some southeast...

 in Speke
Speke
Speke is an area of Liverpool, Merseyside, England, close to the boundaries of the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley. It is south east of the city centre and to the west of the town of Widnes....

.

Universities

Two of Liverpool's three universities are located within Liverpool city centre - the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...

 and Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University is a British 'modern' university located in the city of Liverpool, England. The university is named after John Moores and was previously called Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts and later Liverpool Polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992, thus...

. Combined they have a student population of over 45,000. The University of Liverpool is largely sited around Mount Pleasant, some of the buildings possessed by the University of Liverpool in Liverpool city centre include the Harold Cohen Library
Harold Cohen Library
The Harold Cohen Library is the University of Liverpool's main library for science, engineering and medical, dental and veterinary sciences. It also contains eight computer centres as well as the Wolfson training suite....

, the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine is a research and teaching institution focused on neglected tropical diseases and the control of diseases caused by poverty. It is a registered charity affiliated to the University of Liverpool...

, the Liverpool Guild of Students and the Victoria Building
Victoria Building, University of Liverpool
The Victoria Building, University of Liverpool, is on the corner of Brownlow Hill and Ashton Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England . It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building. It was designed by Alfred Waterhouse and completed in 1892...

. Liverpool John Moores University has two campuses in Liverpool city centre, one at Byrom Street and one at Mount Pleasant also. The Liverpool Business School
Liverpool Business School
Liverpool Business School is the business school of Liverpool John Moores University in England, located in the John Foster building on the Mount Pleasant Campus.- LBS today :...

, Liverpool College of Art
Liverpool College of Art
Liverpool College of Art is located at 68 Hope Street, in Liverpool, England. It is a Grade II listed building.The building is currently owned by Liverpool John Moores University housing its School of Social Science....

 and Liverpool Students' Union
Liverpool Students' Union
The Liverpool Students' Union is the representative body for all students studying at Liverpool John Moores University in Liverpool, England; and is not to be confused with Liverpool Guild of Students, which is the Student Union for the University of Liverpool; membership is automatic upon...

are all part of LJMU.
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