Liverpool ONE A City Of Dreams

29 March 2011

I recall nearly 30 years ago as a young girl working in Liverpool city Central Buildings, 41 centre north John Street to be exact, it was my first job working for a solicitor, I can remember how beautiful the building and the architecture was the building and offices were huge, when John Lennon was shot the office I worked in over looked Matthew street the Cavern so we all when to the window to watch people laying flowers and using it a a place to meet and grieve, now 30 years on how the area has changed.

Central buildings is now the Beatles Hotel and Liverpool has changed beyond belief and all for the better Paradise street used to be the home of a massive car park and now it’s the centre of what can only be said a fantastic shopping centre with a mass of eating places. There is something for every ones taste, Lewis' left its department store opposite the Adelphi Hotel and is now part of Liverpool One along with many other big named stores.

Liverpool a city with a history dating back to medieval times once one of the greatest ports in Europe its wealth built on world trade, its waterways frequented by the cruise liners. The city famous for leading the industrial revolution in the 17th/18th century and later during the late 19th century leading the 'pop' culture through groups including the Beatles and Jerry & The Pacemakers.

A city that suffered a decline as trade moved from the west coast shipping routes as the UK's principle trading partners changed from the Americas to Europe. The life blood of the city, its docklands fell into dis-use and ruin as a result. But now Liverpool is witnessing a rebirth as its citizens can once again dream of greatness.

Nowhere better illustrates how much of an impact change can have on a city than the regeneration of Liverpool ONE. Situated along the former dilapidated industrial seafront it has turned an industrial wasteland into a thriving shopping and leisure complex at the heart of the city.

All About Liverpool ONE

Set in the heart of the city of Liverpool, Liverpool ONE is one of Europe’s most stylish retail and leisure destinations. Whether it’s a day out with the girls, a family fun weekend away or even a place you can call home – Liverpool ONE offers something to suit everyone.

Seamlessly traversing the streets of Liverpool, Liverpool ONE is a thriving, must-visit destination set within 42 acres right in the heart of the city and close to its iconic waterfront. It is the culmination of an innovative £1 billion urban regeneration project that has transformed Liverpool city centre into a flourishing, multi-faceted, glamorous urban metropolis.

From bars to boutiques, handbags to home ware, restaurants to room service and much, much more, Liverpool ONE is a bursting with energy and character designed to make every trip exciting.

Liverpool ONE offers an unrivalled shopping experience, with an eclectic mix of shops from the hub of home ware - Hanover Street, to the glamorous mecca of Peter’s Lane, the urban coolness of Paradise Street and the best of the high-street South John Street. Be sure to take a pit stop on the Leisure Terrace and take in the serene scene of Chavasse Park!

Yet Liverpool ONE is so much more than just shopping destination. Boasting chic city living apartments, two stylish hotels, luxury serviced apartments, leisure and entertainment facilities, office space and a five-acre landscaped park. Also including Jungle Rumble crazy golf, as well as a vast array of restaurants, cafés, bars and a 14 screen ODEON cinema with IMAX; on top of the great city centre offer, Liverpool ONE is a mecca for fun and glamour.

Eat

Chaophraya and Palm Sugar

You'll find an enticing array of eateries to whet your appetite with a wide range of cafes, restaurants, casual eateries and gastro joints. But amongst these the jewel in the crown is Chaophraya Liverpool (pronounced chow-pie-a) opened in June 2009 and was named after the main waterway of central Thailand regarded by many Thai people as their lifeblood.

Now Liverpool is witnessing a rebirth as its citizens can once again dream of greatness

The royal Thai fine dining restaurant has a fish tank as the ceiling over the entrance followed by one of the most luxurious décors in the city. Decorated to suit a discerning clientele the venue prides themselves on their high standards of customer service and excellent quality of food. Taking a boot to the to the bland this is Thai food not dumbed down for the (Chaw t`ang chati) foreigner, this is food that is utterly delicious.

Whether a quick lunch or a celebrating a special occasion Chaophraya Liverpool won't disappoint with plenty of private dining rooms and traditional sunken seating you are guaranteed to enjoy a taste of the Far East.

The equally glamorous cocktail lounge next door is named Palm Sugar which derives from the Palmyra Palm Tree which provides palm sugar as a natural sweetener used throughout the world as a key ingredient in cooking and alcohol. The importance of this key ingredient which is extremely popular in Thailand and was an obvious choice for the chains first bar.

Palm Sugar Lounge is described as Liverpool’s most luxurious venue and as sweet as the name suggests the award winning bar has been voted best newcomer to Liverpool and is a mix of the Far East with a New York cocktail lounge feel and serves drinks and bar Thai Tapas daily. The slick long running bar is like a runway from the main entrance with impressive mirrored walls which reflect the Swarovski crystals Chandeliers

The menu of drinks reads like a novel with over 40 pages including one of the most extensive drink selections in the region which makes this 300 capacity venue extremely popular with movers and shakers and celebrities alike.

On one side is experienced staff preparing the best cocktails around and the other is floor to ceiling windows offering incredible views across the Albert Dock and waterfront with tons of natural light and thrilling sunsets. Outside boasts an alfresco seating/ drinking area which is perfect all year round.

Shop

Liverpool ONE offers unrivalled shopping set in the beautiful city centre of Liverpool. With over 140 stores from the only TopShop in the UK based on the Manhattan concept store, the largest Debenhams in the UK and many stores new to Liverpool and the North West.

Liverpool ONE is laid out in fashion and shopping districts designed to guide shoppers through high end to high street and everything in between.

Start your journey on Hanover Street, Liverpool’s homeware hub where you will find the brand new Home Quarter, a stunning store split across the street stocking the latest in uber trendy and luxurious designs from Natuzzi, BoConcept, Roche Bobois and Feather & Black.

Head into the heart of Liverpool ONE down the glamorous Peter’s Lane where you will find the latest trends from high end retailers including Ted Baker, Whistles, Reiss, Flannels, Radley to home grown Project Catwalk Winner Kirsty Doyle. Don't forget to stop off at Cath Kidston on School Lane just off Peters Lane.

After indulging your TopShop craving, make your way to Paradise Street where uber cool brands meet the latest technology releases. Try cool Spanish brand Desigual, treat yourself to some new fabulous heels at Aldo or the latest style from Urban Outfitters and then recharge your batteries with a coffee at Starbucks or Pret a Manger and maybe even charge your Mac while you're here, at the Apple store or get the perfect gift at Sony.

Next up is a wander down Wall Street where you will find the latest Virgin Media store, the perfect stop for kids at the Bear Factory or the Entertainer, head to HMV for the latest music and DVDs.

South John Street is next on the style agenda and is the home of the high street at Liverpool ONE. Indulge in pure retail therapy at these famous brands including Gap, Mango, Warehouse and Oasis. Check out the beautiful ZARA Home; it’s the only one outside of London.

Stay

With so much to see and do why not make a weekend of it and stay in one of the fantastic hotels or serviced apartments within Liverpool ONE. Try the superbly elegant Hilton for a touch of added luxury, the Novotel is fantastic for family breaks and the Bridge Street Serviced Apartments are the perfect base for a girly weekend.

Some Well known and not so well known facts about Liverpool:

Things You Probably Didn't Know About LiverpoolONE...

1. The Liverpool ONE team has a blue and a red uniform as the city has two football teams - one red, and one blue
2. Chavasse Park has been lifted 50m above the ground to allow a Q-Park car park to be hidden away, housing 2,000 new parking spaces - total car parking spaces to 3,000
3. 25 different award-winning teams of architects were employed to create a ‘new heart’ for the city, spanning the existing streets and joining the famous Albert Dock to the city
4. 36 individual buildings make up Liverpool ONE including the Bling Building
5. Liverpool ONE’s Leisure Terrace offers 20 restaurants covering all over the culinary world
6. Liverpool ONE spans 2.4million square feet, equivalent to 102 football pitches
7. Chavasse Park is named after Captain Noel Chavasse, the most decorated soldier of World War 1
8. Since conception Liverpool ONE has created in excess of 5,000 jobs
9. Over 50 per cent of retailers at Liverpool ONE are new to either Liverpool or the North West
10. Liverpool ONE’s launch was brought forward by a year to be ready for Capital of Culture 08 and was delivered on schedule in two phases – May and October 2008

10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Liverpool.

1. The city has a rich art scene. Why not visit during the Liverpool Biennial – the international festival of contemporary art - in November, or check out the Bluecoat at Liverpool ONE, the creative hub for Liverpool that showcases talent across visual art, music, dance, live art and literature
2. Liverpool is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, like the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt
3. The iconic Albert Dock has the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in the UK
4. Liverpool was one of the centres of world trade in the 18th and 19th centuries and played an important role in the growth of the British Empire and the industrial revolution
5. The city has a strange underground world of tunnels and caverns open for exploring that were laid beneath the city in the 1800’s – we know who did it, but why they were created is a mystery!
6. On the outskirts of Sefton Park hides a village-like, bohemian community of flea markets, farmers markets, tattoo parlours, funky bars and excellent value restaurants – all much loved by the locals
7. Between 1830 and 1930 Liverpool was the UK’s answer to Ellis Island in New York as its port saw more than 9 million emigrants leave to Europe, the Americas, Australia and New Zealand – almost as many as those coming into the city
8. Liverpool and Liverpool City Region produce some of the finest food and drink in the UK, from rare breed meats and freshly caught fish to quality fruit and vegetables and locally-brewed beer
9. Liverpool is a truly multicultural city – from Irish pubs, Chinese arts and culture workshops, Samba parades, African dance and music sessions and Caribbean restaurants, there are endless events held across the city by Liverpool’s different communities for all to enjoy
10. St Luke’s Church – known locally as the bombed-out church - is another one of Liverpool’s gems. It stands at the end of Bold Street as a monument to the city’s survival of the Second World War, having been hit on the evening of Monday, 5th May, 1941, by an incendiary bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe during the seven-day-long Liverpool Blitz

All About Liverpool ONE

From bars to boutiques, handbags to home ware, restaurants to room service and much, much more, Liverpool ONE is a bursting with energy and character designed to make every trip exciting.

Eat

Chaophraya and Palm Sugar

Shop