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Aug 11, 2016

The Georgian Quarter

Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter is home to the largest concentration of Georgian architecture outside of London. Its cobbled streets are flanked with ornate lampposts, wide pavements and townhouses skirted with wrought iron railings. The slopes of Hardman Street and Upper Duke Street offer views over the city, which extends all the way down to the docklands jutting into the Mersey.

The area is a reflection of Liverpool’s rich past; a fifth of the world’s shipping once passed through its port. Sitting squarely next to the region of Toxteth — a neighbourhood made infamous for 80s riots and consequential poverty thereafter — the whole area declined and homes were left abandoned. The Georgian Quarter, then referred to as Canning, came to be known for its cheap bedsits and sordid pleasures. Prostitutes plied their trade along Gambier Terrace and derelict houses sulkily sat, once shuttered over, now boarded up. It evolved into the perfect setting for bohemians and artists seeking cheap rent, eventually experiencing gentrification in the 1990s. Much like the rest of the city, the area has since enjoyed a burgeoning renaissance. Liverpool’s Georgian heritage has been restored and celebrated; its property now frenzied and sought after.

Hope Street is the area’s main thoroughfare, bookended by two iconic cathedrals (“Paddys Wigwam” and the Anglican — one of the world’s tallest non-spired church buildings). Home to Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and the recently reopened Everyman Theatre, Hope Street is also replete with Victorian pubs (The Philharmonic is a must-visit), old Beatles haunts (Ye Cracke, The Pilgrim — proper British pubs) and a food offering which morphs from Asian street food on shared benches (Host) to modern British on white linen (The Art School) in just a few cobbles and quite a few pounds. First daters, pub hoppers, students, theatre-goers, actors, musicians and creatives alike flock to the assembly of bars and restaurants to get a fix of good food and booze t’other side of the tawdry tussle in town.

The neighbourhood is home to two of the best independent hotels in the city. Hope Street Hotel is a beautifully pared back boutique hotel with exposed bricks and warm wood detail softening the cool, modern feel. Its adjoining restaurant is named The London Carriage Works after the building’s former life as a Rolls Royce coach maker. Hidden round the corner from here is grade II listed 2 Blackburne Terrace. The luxury four-bedroom B&B has been boldly furnished and beautifully embellished with a keen eye for fine art and design.

Skip the hotel breakfast and start your morning with poached eggs on toast at a marble bistro table on the pavement outside The Quarter — though the best coffee is roasted and brewed at 92 degrees, just around the corner. Order one to take away and wander back down Hope Street to the Anglican cathedral. Scale the bell tower for far-reaching views across the city. Our tour continues down Rodney Street (parallel to Hope Street, a couple of roads down), where the pyramid shape tomb of an 18th century gambler will take you by surprise. As legend has it, his skeleton sits upright inside, fingers clasping a royal flush. Free State Kitchen on Maryland Street serves up contemporary American classics for lunch before a trip to the Roman Catholic Cathedral and Lutyens Crypt beneath. Late afternoon drinks are to be had at Clove Hitch for its beer garden, The Philharmonic Pub for its ornate décor, The Belvedere for its G&T (as the spiritual home to Liverpool Gin, no less) or The Pen Factory for its all-walks-of-life, friendly atmosphere. Later, Buyers Club on Hardman Street does a fantastic 5-course menu that changes weekly according to local seasonality and offers a relaxed yet elegant dining experience with shared tables and an open kitchen. The adjoining bar is perfect for a digestif.

Enjoy the pleasing tempo of a neighbourhood on the return swing from riches to rags and revelling in it. The area’s still changing — property developers have landed with their student accommodation eye sores and townhouses are chopped up and carpeted for the rental market, though the melee of historic boozers and gorgeously grand streets laced with witty northern charm save face.

Hope Street is a 10 minute walk from Lime Street Station, and 15/20 minutes from the Albert Dock.