Hanover Street revival serves up tasty selection for Liverpool shoppers
A decade ago, Hanover Street was run-down and neglected, with parts of the street symbolising decay in Liverpool city centre.
The famous Casartelli building, at its junction with Duke Street, was in such a state of dereliction that it had to be demolished, causing widesrpead uproar.
But now the rebuilt Casartelli is bursting with life, and Hanover Street has a number of thriving new arrivals to celebrate.
It forms one of the backbones of the Liverpool One shopping centre, but it has taken time to flourish.
Restaurants have been at the heart of the Hanover Street transformation. Salt House Tapas opened in July, 2010, followed five months later by Bem Brasil, The Hub arrived in May this year, and Hanover Street Social opened in August.
But it has not just been about foodie culture. August also saw the opening of Evans Cycles, while the high-end Stockton’s furniture store has also just opened.
Fresh life has also been breathed into the Neptune Theatre, which will re-open this year as the Epstein Theatre, after being closed for more than six years.~
The street is also home to BBC Radio Merseyside, Herbert the hairdresser’s Bling Bling building, Tracey Bell’s beauty salon, a huge Tesco Superstore, and a Novotel hotel. Meanwhile, a new Premier Inn is currently taking shape on a piece of scrap land next to Tesco.
Matthew Atkinson, regional manager of Evans, said: “We wanted to be part of the city centre's regeneration.
“We have been catering for Liverpool needs, albeit from our Manchester base, with customers travelling to either the Velodrome, Deansgate or Trafford.
“In fact, our first customer in Manchester was a Scouser."
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“Since then, many Liverpudlians have been asking when are we going to open in Liverpool and now here we are.”
Patrick Smith and Jonathan Poole launched Salt House Tapas, and, following its success, have now added Hanover Street Social to their portfolio.
Mr Poole said: “Hanover Street made a lot of sense of us. It had been slightly unloved and down at heel, but it is the next street along from Liverpool One which gets millions of visitors. The prospects for Hanover Street are excellent.”
They believe that opening in the teeth of a downturn actually helped them.
Mr Smith said: “In the boom times, we might not have had a chance with the landlord, they might have gone for a chain like Costa Coffee instead. As it happens, the landlord installed a mezzanine floor for us at a cost of £40,000-£50,000. So we have been able to do this fairly cheaply.
“Shopping is a leisure choice for people now and that includes going out to eat.”
Their second restaurant in the street was to be named the White Star Bar and Brasserie, but they dropped it before launch, in favour of Hanover Street Social.
“It says to people it is not going to be just another chain restaurant,” added Mr Poole.
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