Tuesday, July 15

Merseyside Hub Marketing

Friday 11th July sees the Hub Marketing Board enjoying an away day courtesy of an entertaining excursion to Liverpool with a sprinkling of the New Brighton seaside...

- Lime Street Larks with Ken Dodd! -
Members congregated at Wolverhampton Station bright and early in readiness for the 07:54 departure to Liverpool Lime Street, although our Chairman was very nearly delayed by a coffee-related hold up. The journey to Liverpool is rather serene as we debate the City's extensive musical heritage (although our attempts at recreating some sample songs is somewhat disturbing). At Lime Street our welcoming committee awaits us (Ken Dodd and Bessie Braddock) before we are interviewed by 96.7 Radio City FM about our Football World Cup opinions - who needs Alan Hansen when you can have Mr WME as a pundit?

- The Picton Reading Room -
Our first bit of exploration of the morning was admittedly a total indulgence on the part of the Secretary, but the Picton Reading Room in Liverpool Central Library is a sight to behold if you are of a bookish persuasion. The adjacent Hornby Library is also worth a look and was hosting an exhibition chronicling Liverpool life in the First World War. There is then architecture of a different kind as we glimpse the entrance to the Queensway Tunnel, burrowing beneath the Mersey to provide links to Birkenhead.

- D9 drives the Stockbridge Village Circular -
Members' attentions now turn to a favourite cultural location first visited on a WARP Liverpool adventure with Messrs SBI and UKBuses - Brookside Close. The 12 is on hand for our link to Deysbrook Lane, offering a ride up through Tuebrook and West Derby before we once again sample some soap opera history.

- Brookside Baldness -
Back in 2011 the Brookside set was being refurbished for general residential use after having lain dormant since the show had been decommissioned. The Close thus now functions as an ordinary suburban street albeit presumably without any of the dramatic goings-on that used to grace Channel 4 - indeed, perhaps the most shocking thing on show today was a certain Chairman's bald spot!

- Is this the way to Stafford Road? -
The return 12 bus soon has us back in the City Centre investigating the bicycle hub close to Moorfields Station, Mr D9 wondering whether such an arrangement would work well back in Wolverhampton. The former Liverpool Exchange railway building (the frontage of which is used as office space after the station closed under Beeching), the Lion Tavern and the Railway Inn are intriguing landmarks nearby.

- New Brighton Station -
From Moorfields Station we take the Wirral Line out to New Brighton, the journey initially being an underground loop of the City Centre , passing below the Mersey to Hamilton Square and then emerging into daylight for Birkenhead North and Wallasey. New Brighton Station is the end of the line and incorporates a nicely traditional booking hall plus a greasy spoon cafe where we pause for a well-earned late breakfast.

- A Spot by the Sea -
After devouring a Full English the sea air was just what was required to help the food go down. A leisurely walk along the promenade allowed the bald spot to glow a little redder while the native seagulls watched its movements with considerable suspicion. The Floral Pavilion Theatre, Perch Rock Fort and the Light complex are just some of the seafront features to catch our eye although the New Brighton Tower and accompanying ballroom have long since departed the scene, their location marked by a bit of parkland and a Beatles blue plaque.

- Cheers from New Brighton -
Venturing back into New Brighton town centre, we seek out a bit of liquid refreshment and have the choice of the Railway, the Perch Rock or the Harbour, all in triangular close proximity just off Victoria Road. Our darting endeavours are on the back burner today but we do squeeze in a couple of legs at the Railway resulting in an honourable draw for all concerned.

- The Cilla Black Singalong -
Half past two or thereabouts so its time for the return train to James Street where the remainder of our afternoon agenda is based around one of Liverpool CAMRA's recommended walks. We have some of Liverpool's finest historic hostelries in our sights including the Baltic Fleet, a gridiron-shaped old docker's pub that serves its own Wapping Beers - we sampled the Stout as our Chairman launched into a full scale Cilla Black tribute concert. 'Alfie' and 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' have surely never sounded worse! 

- Cains Brewery -
A bit of Toxteth industrial history next as we detour to Stanhope Street for a look at the Cains Brewery building in all its Victorian glory. Sadly the brewery is currently closed although there are plans for a flagship redevelopment of the site which could see brewing restored amid the creation of a hotel alongside leisure and retail spaces.

- A Sergeant Pepper Sculpture -
There are numerous quality alehouses in and around Liverpool City Centre with the Georgian Quarter being an especially beguiling place to explore. Peter Kavanagh's offers all manner of eclectic memorabilia on Egerton Street whereas Ye Cracke is a former haunt of John Lennon no less, while Mr D9 explores his artistic side by grappling with the local sculpture trail.

- Philharmonic Chandelier -
Two unmissable establishments when in Liverpool are the Philharmonic Dining Rooms and the Roscoe Head. The former boasts an astonishingly opulent interior with Brahms and Liszt snugs plus marble urinals in the gents toilets (our Chairman was beside himself with glee about those), while the latter is an unspoilt traditional boozer that has the rare 'Magnificent Seven' honour of being included in every single edition of the Good Beer Guide - both are very much worth a visit.

- Some Phil Harmony in the Tram Waiting Room -
Mr D9 couldn't leave Liverpool without setting foot in the New Penny Farthing, which was very different in calibre to the esteemed places afore-mentioned, then Lime Street was looming for our train back to Wolverhampton. We certainly crammed in some rather fine hub business roaming around Merseyside, and once back in the West Midlands there was just the added bonus of a customary nightcap down by the Metro before saying our farewells. Cheers!

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