Liverpool city centre is the administrative, commercial, cultural, financial and historical centre of Liverpool and the Liverpool City Region, England. There are different definitions of the city centre for urban planning and local government; however, the boundary of Liverpool city centre is broadly marked by the inner city districts of Vauxhall, Everton, Edge Hill, Kensington and Toxteth.
At the 2023 United Kingdom local elections, the population of Liverpool city centre was 36,770 based on the five electoral wards that officially make up the city centre. In 2022, the Liverpool BID company reported that there were 78 million visits to the city centre.
Definitions Liverpool local plan
Liverpool's most recent local plan is designed to guide the long-term spatial development of the city from 2013 to 2033. It will assist Liverpool City Council in making planning decisions for development proposals and provides detailed advice to city planners on where specific types of development should be built, for example, housing, shops, offices, transport and other infrastructure facilities.
Contained within the local plan is a policies map that delimits the boundaries of Liverpool city centre. Based on this definition, the perimeter of Liverpool city centre is as follows:
Bramley-Moore Dock, Regent Road, Boundary Street, Luton Street, Northern Line rail track, Chadwick Street, Chisenhale Street, Vauxhall Road, Ford Street, Scotland Road, Byrom Way, Hunter Street, Islington, Salisbury Street, Langsdale Street, Shaw Street, College Street South, Brunswick Road, Low Hill, Hall Lane, Mount Vernon Green, Irvine Street, Mason Street, Grinfield Street, Crown Street, Upper Parliament Street, St James Place, Stanhope Street, Gore Street, Hill Street, Sefton Street, Brunswick Way, Waterfront Perimeter.
Local government
Another definition of Liverpool city centre can be found in local government.
In time for the 2023 United Kingdom local elections, a redesign of Liverpool's electoral map took place which included changes to the city's ward boundaries, the creation of new ward areas and a reduction in the overall number of elected city councillors.
In July 2023, Liverpool City Council created thirteen neighbourhoods across the city, with a new city centre neighbourhood incorporating 5 electoral wards: Brownlow Hill, Canning, City Centre North, City Centre South and Waterfront South. Combined, they have a total population of 36,770.
+Liverpool city centre electoral wards (2023 United Kingdom local elections)These electoral wards were created in 2023 following a Boundary Commission review.Liverpool City Council electoral wardCity councillorsPopulation(Census 2021)Brownlow Hill 2 7,358Canning 2 9,355City Centre North 2 8,325City Centre South 3 8,838Waterfront South 1 2,894Totals1036,770
Areas
Distinctive areas that define the centre of Liverpool include the following (the list is not exhaustive):
Baltic Triangle
The Baltic Triangle is defined by Liverpool City Council as the triangular shaped slice of the city bounded by Liver Street, Park Lane, St James Street, Hill Street, Sefton Street and Wapping.
It is believed to have got its name from the number of timber warehouses and yards used for storing timber from the Baltic countries in the 1800s.
Evidence of this period still survives in the Grade II* listed Scandinavian Seamen's Church and the Grade II* Baltic Fleet pub.
The area is home to a range of repurposed warehouses and industrial units which have been converted into offices and studios for a growing number of creative and digital businesses, hotels, a number of live music venues, independent food and drink traders. The area is also known for its street art and the Cains Brewery Village which accommodates coffee shops, markets and bars.
Georgian Quarter
This area is often referred to as the 'Georgian Quarter' due to the heavy prevalence of Georgian era townhouses built for Liverpool's wealthier residents in the 1800s away from the dirt and smoke of the city's industrial areas. The area is characterised by cobbled streets, traditional pubs, restaurants and cultural venues. Liverpool's two cathedrals (Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral) can be found at either end of Hope Street. The quarter also incorporates the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, Everyman Theatre and Unity Theatre.
Cavern Quarter
The Cavern Quarter is defined as the narrow streets and alleys bounded by Victoria Street, Stanley Street, Whitechapel, Lord Street and North John Street. The area lies within the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City boundary and contains historic warehouse buildings from the city's major trading history where some of the goods sold in the old St John's Market on Williamson Square were stored.
The Cavern Quarter takes its name from The Cavern Club on Mathew Street, where The Beatles played 292 times in the 1960s. Mathew Street itself is a major tourist attraction, especially for Beatles and Merseybeat related tourism. A number of Beatles themed hotels and museums can be found in and around the street.
Mathew Street also contains the Liverpool Wall of Fame which features 54 gold discs to represent the 54 Liverpool based musicians who have achieved Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart since 1952. Liverpool was awarded UNESCO City of Music status in 2015 and is recognised as the 'World Capital of Pop’ by the Guinness Book of Records.
Chinatown
Liverpool is home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe, which has been established in the city since the 1860s due to the historic trade links between the Port of Shanghai and Port of Liverpool.
Chinese sailors and immigrants first settled close to the docks in Cleveland Square, however, following World War One and demolition of the original neighbourhood, a new Chinatown began to emerge slowly inland. Some time in the 1940s, the community began to settle en masse in to tenements on Kent Street, Pitt Street and Upper Frederick Street. This was helped in part by Liverpool's position as a reserve pool for Chinese Merchant sailors in the British Merchant Navy.
By the 1970s, Nelson Street became the centre of Chinatown and the community and businesses extended into nearby Berry Street, Duke Street, Upper Pitt Street and Great George Square.
Chinatown today includes many Chinese restaurants, supermarkets, wholesalers, travel agencies, legal and accountancy firms. Some of the services include the Liverpool Chinese Business Association, Che Gong Tong Chinese Association (UK), See Yep Chinese Association, Wah Sing Chinese Community Centre, Liverpool Chinese Gospel Church, Hoy Yin Chinese Association and The Pagoda Youth Orchestra, which is the largest Chinese youth orchestra in Europe. The Nook House, a pub at the heart of Chinatown, had a long history associated with the Chinese community.
Liverpool's Chinatown arch is the largest arch of its kind outside of China at tall and was a gift from Liverpool's twin city Shanghai. It features 200 dragons and five roofs.
Liverpool's four universities also attract a growing number of Chinese students. With almost one in five of its students of Chinese origin, Liverpool University is ranked amongst the top three UK universities with more than a quarter of their fee income coming directly from Chinese students. It has one of the highest number of Chinese students in the UK.
In recent years, due to this growing population of Chinese students and their desire to socialise closer to the university campus, many Chinese businesses have spread out across the city centre in places such as Myrtle Parade near the University of Liverpool and further along Berry Street towards Renshaw Street. This has contributed to a reduction in focus on the traditional Chinatown by younger Chinese people.
Commercial district
Liverpool's commercial district is centred around Old Hall Street. Some notable employers within the commercial district include the offices of HM Passport Office, BT and Maersk Line. Cultural Quarter
The Cultural Quarter marks a gateway into Liverpool city centre and encompasses Lime Street Station, St.George's Hall, St George's Plateau, St John's Gardens and the Liverpool Empire Theatre. William Brown Street features the World Museum, Liverpool Central Library and Walker Art Gallery.
Until the late 18th century, the area was on the periphery of the city. However, from the mid 19th century until around 1900, Liverpool's wealthy merchants and entrepreneurs helped to build the series of museums, art galleries, libraries, hotels, gardens and monuments (see also Monument to the King's Liverpool Regiment and Wellington's Column).
The buildings were designed to become major public educational, civic and cultural institutions of monumental proportions to reflect Liverpool's status as the second city of the British Empire. The group was later complemented by the Art Deco Queensway tunnel entrance in 1934.
Most of the buildings in and around William Brown Street are built in the stone faced classical style. The pavements are made of Yorkstone; and the street furniture, although varied, is often of historic interest to complement the buildings.
St George's Plateau has been the focus of many of the most significant events in the city's history. In the present day, it is most often used for staging public events or political demonstrations, or as the starting point for important marches in the city. Events have included Christmas markets, political speeches, Remembrance Day events, an assembly point for Liverpool's annual Pride march and a live show to a crowd of 30,000 people to mark Liverpool's hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood on the eastern approach to Liverpool city centre based on a major road called Islington and the streets in and around London Road. The area is characterised primarily by low-density warehousing, wholesalers, supermarkets specialising in food from around the world and discount retail units. There is also a growing residential population of students and key workers, particularly doctors and nurses associated with the city's Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
The area has a longstanding history with businesses associated with the fabric and textiles industry and been labelled as 'The Fabric District'.
In recent history, the area has been criticised for falling into decline and neglect. The long term plan aims to regenerate the area for mixed uses with a focus on makers, manufacturing, and tech-based businesses. This will be complimented by retail, leisure and residential.
A market operates several days per week on Monument Place.
Knowledge Quarter
The Knowledge Quarter is a name adopted by Liverpool City Council for a district which has been developed as a site for science, health, technology, education, medicine and culture based industries.
The Knowledge Quarter comprises several interconnected areas including the vicinity around London Road, the Fabric District, Islington and Paddington Village.
The following are found within the area: Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, University of Liverpool's main campus, parts of Liverpool John Moores University at Copperas Hill and Byrom Street, Material Innovation Factory, Digital Innovation Facility, Liverpool Hope Creative Campus, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Liverpool Science Park. Paddington Village features the Liverpool International College and was chosen as the UK's northern headquarters for the Royal College of Physicians.
Main retail area
The retail area encompasses Liverpool One, Church Street, Lord Street, Williamson Square, St Johns Shopping Centre, Metquarter, Clayton Square Shopping Centre and numerous adjoining and connecting streets.