Autumn homeware trends
Jeff Young interview
Jon Atkinson on wine
Amici restaurant review
Morrissey David
One of Liverpool’s finest on his starring role in hit BBC drama Sherwood
BOXPARK LIVERPOOL
STREET FOOD / LIVE MUSIC / SPORTS SCREENINGS / GARDEN PARTIES / BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH / DINE & DISCO / FAMILY FUN-DAYS / QUIZ NIGHTS / FILM CLUBS / SALSA CLASSES / COMEDY SHOWS /
SEP
EVERY MON / 7PM—8PM
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EVERY TUE / 7PM—9PM
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EVERY WED / 7PM—9PM LIVERPOOL HIP HOP FESTIVAL ART WORKSHOP
EVERY THU / 6PM—11PM POST WORK POP PARTY
EVERY SAT / 12PM—3PM BOPARK BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH
EVERY SUN / 12PM—4PM FAMILY FEASTIVAL
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SAT 14 / 4.30PM—8PM
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SUN 15 / 1PM—4PM
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THU 19 / 7PM—11PM NEW SKOOL RULES
FRI 20 / 7PM—11PM BIG FRIDAYS: HIP HOP KARAOKE HOSTED BY THE REGULATORS SAT 21 / 2PM—9PM TERRACE TAKEOVER
SAT 21 / 4PM—1AM JOSHUA V DUBOIS LIVE SCREENING
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SAT 05 / 2.30PM—5.30PM BOXTOBERFEST
September
Hello and welcome to the latest edition of YM Liverpool!
First up this month we bring you an in-depth chat with a beloved Liverpool actor who is currently starring in not one, but two, highly acclaimed BBC shows.
Kensington-born David Morrissey is showing exactly why the British Film Institute described him as “one of the most versatile English actors of his generation”, with heartwarming sitcom Daddy Issues and series two of gritty crime drama Sherwood.
Sticking with local talent, Jack Poland recently sat down with author and playwright Jeff Young to talk about his new memoir, Wild Twin, the highly anticipated follow-up to his Costa Award-shortlisted book Ghost Town
In a wide-ranging interview, Jeff offers his thoughts on the positivity of nostalgia, Liverpool’s “particular kind of energy”, and whether the city’s great novel is still to be written.
Elsewhere, we shine the spotlight on a spacious family home in Melling, the John Lewis interiors team reveals autumn’s hottest homeware trends and Will Carr samples a Sunday roast at Aigburth’s Amici.
Plus Heather Marsh on how to make the most of our hedgerow’s bountiful fruits, Annie S presents her leopard print outfit ideas, and Jon Atkinson explores the art of food and wine matching.
Until next time!
Editor Lawrence Saunders editor@ymliverpool.com
Design Marten Sealby
ADVERTISING Sales 0151 316 0210 sales@ymliverpool.com
DISTRIBUTION Enquiries 0151 316 0210
LAWRENCE SAUNDERS Editor
And now for something
different completely
Described by the British Film Institute as “one of the most versatile English actors of his generation”, Liverpool’s David Morrissey has barely stopped working since bursting onto our screens as an 18-year-old in Willy Russell’s coming-of-age serial One Summer. Here, Kensington-born David discusses starring in series two of acclaimed crime drama Sherwood and his decidedly different role in heartwarming sitcom Daddy Issues
words lawrence saunders
Can you give us a brief overview of where we find your character, Ian St Clair, at the start of Sherwood series two?
Ian has now left the police and he’s heading up a new unit for the local council, which is a Violence Intervention Team, a unit that brings together all of the social services. It tries to join up everything from housing to public health to the police and emergency services.
What drew you to the role of Ian in the first place? And what kept you excited about it in series two?
I’ve always been a fan of James Graham (creator of Sherwood). I think he’s one of our greatest writers. When they approached me about the role, I spoke to James, and we went for a long walk. He outlined the world and what he wanted to do with it. I immediately signed up and said “yes”, it sounded great to me. I thought it was a brilliant piece of drama to get into; the exploration of families who are still traumatised from the events of the miners’ strike in the early ’80s.
What themes and issues does series two explore that you found particularly compelling?
One of the issues that resonates a lot is around a breakdown of social services and the cracks that young people – particularly young men – can fall down. I think a lot of the other themes explore the dissociation between talk and action for the rejuvenation and investment into local communities. Broken promises and superficial political rhetoric which have let down people and their communities for too long.
Once we started filming Sherwood, I just fell in love with the character. I thought he was pretty wonderful and complex but slightly compromised at the same time.
Once we started filming series one, I just fell in love with the character. I thought he was pretty wonderful and complex but slightly compromised at the same time. When it was floated that they might do a second series and James found a role for Ian, I was delighted.
What was it like to reunite with the cast and crew from series one?
It was really interesting. Some of the crew were the same, but many of them were new. We had new directors who I loved and got on incredibly well with. But it was nice to be back with a few of the old guard in Perry (Fitzpatrick), Lorraine (Ashbourne), and Phil (Jackson), who are all good friends. It felt very familiar and warm to be with them again. I loved working with the new characters though. Robert Lindsay is an actor I’ve admired for a long, long time, so it was wonderful to get to work with him. Likewise with Monica Dolan and Stephen Dillane.
Can you speak to the importance of James’ storytelling and shedding light on real world issues?
The main thing about James is that he has this ability to hold a mirror up to society as it is now. Of course, series two was written during a different government to the one when the show airs, but the issues still exist. I think James highlights the problems that are facing our society. He also offers potential solutions to it, or certainly points you in a direction of where to be looking in terms of healing. I think it’s a very important drama for us in terms of where we are now with the breakdown in society, how we seem to have become more and more isolated in where we are, and that we need to be more conjoined, particularly around social service.
In what ways do you think Sherwood addresses relevant social or political issues today?
James is certainly involved in looking at characters who live and breathe on the streets of Britain, particularly in Nottingham. They are people who are having to live with the consequences of major decisions that are made by big business and big government. I think that’s ultimately what’s relevant and resonates.
Are there any aspects of Ian’s character that you particularly resonate with or find challenging to portray?
I think that Ian takes on a lot of responsibility. He feels responsible for many, many things. Many of which are out of his control.
He feels the need to fix, and that can take him into two areas. One is that he can be guilty of having a martyr complex, and the other is a narcissistic belief that he can bring light and justice to the world.
As well as Sherwood, you recently starred in a very different BBC show called Daddy Issues. What can you tell us about it?
Daddy Issues is a comedy with myself and Aimee Lou Wood and it’s about a young girl who finds herself in a position in life where she needs help from her family and her family aren’t around. Her mother has disappeared and her sister is somewhere else so she has to rely on her dad Malcolm (me), who’s a bit of a man-child who’s going through a bit of a crisis. They are brought together as he tries to help her now she’s pregnant.
You mentioned there that Malcolm is a bit of a ‘man-child’, what more can you tell us about him?
Malcolm is someone who has been infantilised all his life and he’s a man who doesn’t know the basics of how to look after himself in the world. At best he’s naive, at worst he’s ignorant.
How would you describe his relationship with his daughter Gemma?
He loves his daughter and she loves him but whether they are good for each other is debatable. They are both in desperate need and they find themselves at a point in life where they need to lean on each other but they aren’t sure whether the other is capable of holding that weight.
What attracted you to the role of Malcolm?
I just loved him. I love Aimee, I think she’s amazing, such a great talent and I’ve admired her for a while now. When Daddy Issues came along I was looking for something a bit different as I do quite a lot of heavy dramas. I was looking for something more comedic. This came along and it was perfect for me. I really wanted to do this and I jumped in as I thought the first two episodes were so great and the standard of writing has maintained that quality. I love every episode and it was such a learning curve for me. It was a challenge but I really loved it.
As you mentioned, you are known for your performances in heavy dramas. Why did you want to take on this comedic role? For me I’m always looking to change things. What I want to do is usually the thing I’ve not just done. I have done comedy in the past, Blackpool which I really loved, and Inside No. 9. I’ve done some comedy in the theatre as well. I was looking for something that was going to exercise that part of my craft – something that was going to hit my funny bone a bit more. I’d just done The Long Shadow and of course, Sherwood, and they were both really brilliant but quite dramatic so this came at the right time.
What was it like working with Aimee?
Well I knew her work but she’s just wonderful, she’s SO funny. One of the big problems we had working together is that we made each other laugh, so that’s always tough at times, but I think she’s a huge talent. I saw her at the theatre in Uncle Vanya as well as in Sex Education, and I just think she’s got such breadth and honesty and truthfulness in her performances. We got on very well and that’s essential as Daddy Issues is a relationship comedy which is brilliantly written by Danielle [Ward], but we had the freedom to improvise and play around which is vital. We had a great ease with each other and there’s some very awkward situations that we get ourselves into, so it’s really important that you’re comfortable around the person you’re working with.
The final two episodes of Sherwood series two will air on BBC One on 15 & 16 September. Series one of Daddy Issues is available to watch on iPlayer now
David Morrissey stars alonside Aimee Lou Wood in Daddy Issues and in action in Sherwood (inset)
LIVERPOOL LITERARY FESTIVAL
4-6 OCTOBER 2024
Join some of the finest authors, poets, TV personalities and creative thinkers in one of the most vibrant cities in the world.
To see the full line up and book tickets, visit: liverpool.ac.uk/literary-festival
LEVI TAFARI
TONY SCHUMACHER
SARAH PERRY
ADELE PARKS
CAROLINE CRAMPTON
A guide to care proceedings – Consult the legal experts
Edwina Harkin, Director and Head of Family at Paul Crowley & Co Solicitors, guides you through what care proceedings could mean for your family, and how we can help
Between 2022 and 2023, The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) received over 16,000 cases of childcare proceedings in the UK. Going through care proceedings is always a complex and emotionally challenging time for a family, but understanding the process can help you navigate this difficult situation and engage with social workers more effectively to reach a positive outcome.
What are Care Proceedings?
When Children’s Services have concerns about the safety and wellbeing of a child or children, they can begin a legal process called care proceedings. They may ask the Family Court to make an order which gives them the power to supervise your child and how you are caring for them, or an order which places your child in the care of the Local Authority.
The Care Proceedings Process:
Step
1: Initial Assessment
Before starting legal proceedings, a Local Authority needs to arrange an assessment by a social worker. The social worker will determine whether there are any concerns over how the child is being cared for, and a Child Protection Conference can be arranged to discuss the concerns.
Step 2: Child Protection Conference
At this conference, the child can be made subject to a Child Protection Plan,
which will set out what you should do to protect your child and how your social workers will help to achieve this.
Step 3: Pre-proceedings Meeting
If the Child Protection Plan is not adhered to, the Local Authority will hold a meeting with you and your solicitor to discuss the problems.
Step 4: Issuing Court Proceedings
Children’s Services will complete an application form to tell the Family Court why they have concerns for your child and what they think is the best plan to keep them safe.
Once the Family Court has considered the application, they will send a notice informing you of the Court reference number and details of the first hearing. They are likely to give “Directions” such as requiring you to provide a statement in response.
Step 5: Court Hearing
The first hearing is usually a Case Management Hearing, which the Court uses to review the circumstances and set a timetable for how the case will progress moving forward.
Care Proceedings will usually follow a 26-week timetable. In order to set a timetable, the Court will consider what the issues are, including:
• Where the child should live until the final hearing;
• Who should be allowed to contact the child and how this will be arranged;
• Whether a Court Order needs to be put in place.
Step 6: Complying with Directions
The timetable will set out directions for everyone to comply with. This could include statements, expert reports, police disclosures and assessments. During the course of the proceedings, parents should be signposted to courses and services.
Step 7: Final Hearing
The Court will make a decision based on the evidence presented throughout the proceedings as to where the child shall live and who should be allowed contact.
Why choose Paul Crowley & Co?
Our team of family law solicitors have extensive experience working with families from all backgrounds in Liverpool and have excellent relationships with the local children’s services and contact centres. Your solicitor will be by your side from the day you contact us right up until the final hearing. They will support you to comply with relevant Court directions, keep you updated throughout the proceedings, and be there to listen to any concerns you may have.
If you have been contacted by the Local Authority in relation to potential Care Proceedings, call Paul Crowley & Co Solicitors today to speak with a member of our Family Law team.
Edwina Harkin Director and Head of Family, Paul Crowley & Co
Amici
By
Will Carr | Sunday Roast | ££ | 380 Aigburth Road, L17 6AE
What images do the words ‘Italian cuisine’ conjure in your brain? If the answer isn’t pasta or pizza then I’m afraid you’re thinking of the wrong country. If you’re imagining the Colosseum, leaning tower and legions of stylish men in sports cars, then you’re in the right place. If you’re thinking of the right place but you’re not picturing pizza or pasta then you’ve tried Amici’s Sunday roast, and I must commend you on your decision.
A classy Italian restaurant on the outskirts of the city wouldn’t be the first place I’d expect to find one of the most delicious Sunday roasts I’ve had in a long time, in fact it might just be the last, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
Only a 15-minute train journey out of the city centre, Amici sits in the charming, leafy suburb of Aigburth. At lunchtime, the place had just the right amount of people; it wasn’t empty but not heaving. The single server effortlessly glides from table to table, the strain of carrying impressive amounts of food nowhere to be found on her smiling face.
The crowning glory of each plate was a homemade Yorkshire pudding – so large and fluffy it could have doubled as a winter hat.
On the Sunday Lunch Menu, you have a choice of lamb, chicken or beef. We went with the chicken (£17) and the lamb (£19.50). Within minutes our dishes were in front of us and we could only marvel at the sight. We regretted forgetting to bring our spiked shoes and oxygen masks as we dug into the food mountain before us. The lamb was slightly fatty, but the tender and sweet meat was some of the best I’d ever tasted. Meanwhile, the chicken was perfectly cooked and, unlike most restaurants, generously well proportioned.
The crowning glory of each plate however was a homemade Yorkshire pudding. You could tell it was homemade because it was so large and fluffy it could have doubled as a winter hat. It was delicious and as my partner and I soaked up the interesting red wine gravy, we tried the stuffing. If the Yorkshire pud was to die for, then the stuffing made you glad you’re still alive. Savoury but sprinkled with sweet notes, the apricotinfused accoutrement was our highlight. We only wished we’d had more of it.
The roast potatoes were excellent, crisp, buttery and sitting on a bed of surprisingly tangy carrot puree. My partner had ordered Cauliflower cheese (£3.5), a perhaps unnecessary yet pleasant addition to the substantial meal. It was well-cooked and not too soft and the cheese was powerful in a most welcome way.
For dessert, we ordered vanilla ice cream (£6.95) and Tiramisu (£7.95). The ice cream,
made especially for Amici by an Italian family which has been amazing Londoners with its recipes since 1931, was spectacular in its unique delicacy. The tiramisu was equally superb, the coffee blended perfectly with the cream – creating a dessert that even my coffee-hating partner enjoyed.
Overall I was furious. The interesting, daring and complex combination of flavours, the uniquely Italian stylish approach to a traditional British dish. How dare this classy Italian restaurant do a Sunday roast better than we do? How would they like it if we started making decent pasta? Go there and tell them off, and while you’re there get that recipe for apricot stuffing, I’m willing to pay.
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Pull&Bear
ENJOYING A COMMANDING POSITION at the entrance to Rowland Homes’ new Waddicar Rise development in Melling, The Hatton B is a traditionally designed four-bedroom detached home with elegant features inside and out.
On the ground floor, the entrance hall gives access to a good-sized lounge with a bay window overlooking the front garden and two-car driveway. Down the hallway, heading towards the rear of the home, is a conveniently located WC under the stairs. The property’s main attraction is next – a well-proportioned open plan living space which stretches right across the whole width of the house. The high-specification kitchen with integrated appliances seamlessly connects the dining room and family space, where French doors open onto an outside patio area. Adjacent to the kitchen, there is a practical utility room with separate access to the rear of the home.
Upstairs, four good-sized bedrooms offer ideal accommodation for all the family. The master bedroom with a well-proportioned en suite overlooks the front garden, whilst a spacious bathroom comfortably caters for the rest of the bedrooms.
As with every home at Waddicar Rise, The Hatton B is super energy-efficient which means prospective owners can look forward to potentially significant savings on energy bills compared with older properties.
To find out more about this property visit rowland.co.uk
Perfect pairings
Jon Atkinson explores the art of food and wine matching and shares his four favourite combinations
FOOD AND WINE MATCHING – the raison d’être of sommeliers in top-end restaurants; is it smoke and mirrors or is there really something in it? Whilst I would always advocate that any combination of food and wine that works for you is a good one, there is more to it than some would have you believe. That being said, I completely agree with a good friend of mine, who spent many years in hospitality, when he said that it is as important to match the wine to the customer as it is to match it to the food!
However, for those who are receptive to trying different flavours and combinations, there are some broadly accepted, albeit unwritten rules. Most are familiar with the tried and trusted ‘red wine with (red) meat, white wine with fish’, but even here there are grey areas. Not all red wines will pair with meat, but some do, and equally, not all fish will work with white wines, but again some do. Equally, some more
BEST WITH: FISH & CHIPS
robust whites work surprisingly well with meat, even the likes of beef and lamb.
Here follows a brief assessment of some basic pairing principles. Fatty/oily foods need wine with good acidity to cut through – an oily-textured wine will seem flabby by comparison. Protein, particularly (red) meat will be enhanced by a tannic red, or perhaps a skin contact white. Earthy flavours are lifted when paired with something fruity as opposed to savoury. Cheese – this one could take up the entire article! However, very broadly, soft cheese with crisp, dry white, firm cheese with medium-bodied, reasonably acidic red and blue cheese with dessert wine or Port. Spicy foods – this varies, depending on how hot/spicy, but a medium-sweet, aromatic white can be revelatory. white, or red but the wine should ideally be sweeter than the dessert.
A few examples of pairings that I particularly enjoy…
Champagne Claude Baron ‘Cuvée Saphir’ Brut NV (12%) A pairing that surprises many, but I suspect that it’s the celebratory nature of Champagne versus the more ‘everyday’ vibe of Britain’s favourite takeaway. Claude Baron has been a vigneron in the Marne Valley since 1974. Today, he and his three daughters work a small Pinot Meunier-dominated plot. Cuvée Saphir is aged for at least three years and is fruity, light and delicate. The acidity of the Champagne is a key factor in this pairing with the food having been fried in oil, but the refreshing, slightly appley fruit will complement the unassertive flavour of cod or haddock. £22.99
BEST WITH: ROAST CHICKEN DINNER
Ch. Martinolles Limoux Chardonnay 2022 (12%) I’ve gone with a more conventional white pairing here but there are a fair few light to medium-bodied reds that would work just as well. A lovely, rich, barrel-fermented Chardonnay from old vines in the Limoux region to the south-west of Carcassonne, this is buttery and mineral on the nose with a subtle nutty, toastiness with hints of lemon and pineapple. Rich, soft and voluptuous in the mouth with well-integrated oak and a long, creamy-textured finish. This soft, creamy Chardonnay is an excellent foil to the meat but has enough fruit to cope with the earthiness of the accompanying stuffing. £15.50
BEST WITH: PAN-GRIDDLED RIBEYE STEAK
La Forge Estate IGP Pays d’Oc 2022 (14%) Undoubtedly, Malbec was on the cards for this, and it would be a solid recommendation, but looking back to before Argentina put this French variety on the map, there are numerous options to have with steak. I’ve opted for a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, but Syrah/Shiraz, Merlot and Carignan would also work. This is text-book Cabernet Sauvignon from Jean-Claude Mas exudes cassis and bramble aromas with hints of fruitcake, pipe tobacco and a subtle menthol note. New World in style, in the mouth it is full and rounded with a firm tannic edge, spicy, dark fruit and good length with a long finish. £12.25
BEST WITH: SLOW-ROASTED SHOULDER OF LAMB
Valduero ‘Dos Cotas’ Ribera del Duero Reserva 2017 (14%) In truth, lamb works very well with many reds (and a surprising number of whites). I could have gone with Claret, northern or southern Rhône, Barolo, Chianti or numerous others, but for me, Tempranillo, whether from Rioja or elsewhere in Spain, is perfect – especially when paired with lamb barbecued over old vine cuttings in the vineyard where it is grown! With the lamb cooked slowly on a fairly low temperature ‘til it just falls off the bone and melts in the mouth, this gently seductive, suitably juicy and supple wine has more than enough flavour whilst being suitably mellow to make for a beautifully harmonious pairing. £39.95
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Council to begin search for Festival Gardens developer
Ambition is to significantly boost city’s housing supply and create a “thriving new community in South Liverpool”
LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL is set to seek a development partner to help transform a prime waterfront spot into Liverpool’s newest residential community.
The local authority will soon embark on a “competitive procurement exercise” to appoint a “high calibre development partner” to lead on creating a new neighbourhood as part of the city’s International Festival Gardens site, which was originally opened in May 1984.
The ambition is to significantly boost the city’s housing supply with a diverse range and mix of housing types, including affordable properties, together with local amenities, creating a “thriving new community in this prime south Liverpool location”.
The scheme, which is a flagship project outlined in the city’s draft housing strategy, will connect with and enhance its natural surroundings and biodiversity and provide a high standard of desirable and multi-generational living for all.
Significant remediation and enabling works were completed in January 2024 to enable development, and since that time a team of
experts has been curating a development brief which will provide an essential framework to market the site.
The initial phase of the procurement process will begin in October, with a view to securing a partner towards the middle of next year.
It is expected that the contract with the successful development partner will be finalised in autumn 2025 once thorough due diligence has been undertaken.
Councillor Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool City Council, says: “This is a major milestone in the evolution of the Festival Gardens site.
“The appointment of a development partner will see the completion of the International Garden Festival initiative and marks the final chapter in a 40-year story of a site which originally covered 250 acres. It will also ensure that the UK’s only remaining Festival Gardens are preserved and enhanced for future generations to enjoy.”
PC&Co strengthens private landlord legal services team
CERT set to start work on Liverpool office-to-resi scheme
Apartment conversion project in commercial district expected to complete next year
NORTH WEST PROPERTY FIRM
CERT is gearing up to start on-site at Centric, an office to residential scheme opposite Moorfields train station.
Centric will offer “high-quality, central urban living spaces” with 46 “thoughtfully designed” one and two-bed apartments, featuring a resident community lounge, secure underground parking and bike-storage provision.
CERT’s contractors have been confirmed as Truman Design & Build, which recently completed the Molo Hotel scheme on Duke Street. Truman is due to take possession of the Moorfields site during the second week of September to commence works, which are expected to complete within a year.
Howard Lord, managing director and founder of CERT, says: “We’ve been active in the Liverpool commercial market for several years, with our highly successful creative and tech hub, Elevator Studios, and our awardwinning restoration and letting of Duke & Parr.
“We have operated Centric as serviced offices for a number of years and with the pandemic affecting occupancy, the opportunity arose to look to extend our residential expertise into Liverpool to reinvigorate Centric.
“Our residential track record in Manchester speaks for itself with our commitment to deliver contemporary and desirable places to live, with this same approach applied to our first residential venture in Liverpool.”
Centric will be operated by CERT’s in-house property management team when it completes in 2025.
New hire enhances firm’s ability to navigate complexities of property law
PAUL CROWLEY & CO has announced the appointment of Emma Stirzaker as a paralegal to its private landlord litigation team.
The Liverpool-based law firm says Emma’s pre-litigation experience, combined with her strong commitment to providing exceptional legal service, will significantly enhance its ability to support private landlords in maintaining compliance and protecting their interests.
Julie Jones from PC&Co adds: “We believe in focusing on talent and are excited to have Emma on board.
“Our growth ethos is a core part of our talent acquisition and retention strategy, demonstrating the role each team member plays in driving growth and how they will benefit from it.
“Emma’s appointment underscores our dedication to delivering high quality legal services. Her knowledge and experience will further strengthen the team’s ability to navigate the complexities of property law.”
For both current and prospective private landlords, understanding and adhering to legal responsibilities is paramount. Non-compliance can result in costly and time-consuming issues.
Julie adds: “PC&Co understands the challenges landlords face. If you require legal advice on your responsibilities as a private landlord or require assistance with tenant eviction, our experienced team is here to help.”
Stunning homes go on show in Melling
2, 3, 4 & 5 bedroom homes priced from £224,995 to £409,995
Our two beautiful new show homes are now open at Waddicar Rise in Melling.
Offering a choice of 2, 3, 4 & 5 bedroom high specification new homes, there’s something for everyone in this popular location.
Part Exchange available on selected plots.*
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Liverpool
Best-selling author Sarah Perry & The Responder creator Tony Schumacher will be appearing at next month’s event
LITERARY FESTIVAL
Now in its ninth year, the three-day event will feature star names, local talent, poetry, drama, discussion and more
THE LIVERPOOL LITERARY FESTIVAL returns this autumn (Friday 4 to Sunday 6 October) featuring the Sunday Times number one best-selling author Adele Parks MBE.
Now in its ninth year, the festival will include a conversation with the famous writer alongside local talent, poetry, drama, discussion and more.
Adele (pictured right), who has sold more than five million UK editions of her 24 novels, is returning to the Liverpool Literary Festival, following her first visit to Liverpool in 2022.
Adele says: “I’m absolutely delighted to be returning to the Liverpool Literary Festival again – Liverpool is a beautiful city, full of heart, humour and passion and the Literary Festival is a fantastic reflection of that creativity.
“I’ll look forward to seeing you all on Saturday 5 October at 5.30pm. I’ll talk about my latest novel, First Wife’s Shadow, and everything I’ve been up to over the past few years. My husband will be interviewing me, we’ll have a lot of fun, but I’ll also give serious insight into the life of a writer.”
Tony Schumacher, author of the awardwinning TV drama, The Responder, will feature at the festival to talk about his eventful
returns
journey from police officer to writer. He’ll discuss the critically acclaimed Merseysidebased police drama on Saturday 5 October at 7pm.
Meanwhile, Sarah Perry, the internationally best-selling author, will speak about her latest novel, Enlightenment, on Friday 4 October.
On Sunday 6 October there will be an exclusive screening of Mother’s Day, the
acclaimed BBC Two drama based on the true events of the 1993 Warrington Bomb which killed 12-year-old Tim Parry and three-yearold Johnathan Ball. The screening will be followed by a unique discussion of the drama with Colin Parry (Tim’s father), actor Daniel Mays and writer, Nick Leather, who’ll discuss the challenges of making a tragedy into a powerful BBC drama.
This year, the Literary Festival also has a new home, the University of Liverpool’s Eleanor Rathbone Building, bringing the festival right to the heart of campus.
Festivalgoers can buy VIP passes for the whole weekend or just for one day, to make the most of everything the festival has to offer.
Professor Greg Lynall, festival director, says: “There’s something for everyone at the Liverpool Literary Festival, so make sure you get your tickets booked!”
Liverpool Literary Festival takes place between 4-6 October in the Eleanor Rathbone Building on the University of Liverpool campus (106 on the campus map). To find out more, visit: www.liverpool.ac.uk/literaryfestival/events/
WILD TWIN
In Conversation with Jeff Young
“There is something about a city of immigrants. All of those people that came over from Ireland generations ago; there is still the impulse in us to keep moving.”
Liverpool author and playwright Jeff Young on his new memoir Wild Twin, the positivity of nostalgia, and whether the great Liverpool novel is still to be written…
words jack poland
eeting Jeff Young in the Philharmonic Pub almost feels
Jeff brings buildings to life in his writing by augmenting them with shadows of the past. So as I sit in one of the mahogany-panelled rooms, waiting for him to arrive having recently finished his latest book, it’s hard not to look around and wonder just how many former punters I’m drinking my coffee with.
, the follow-up to his brilliant memoir which was shortlisted for the Costa and Portico prizes. follows Jeff in his 20s as he leaves his childhood home in Liverpool for Paris, Ostend, Amsterdam and anywhere else he can become ‘invisible’ – or find his ‘wild twin’. Fifty years later he is back in the home he left, caring for his father.
It is an absorbing reflection on time and memory and the effect they
The great Liverpool filmmaker Terence Davies said: “We love the place we hate, then hate the place we love. We leave the place we love, then spend a lifetime trying to regain it”.
There is no suggestion that Jeff has anything but a deep love for the place he left, back in the 1970s. What I’m interested in exploring with him however is the idea of trying to regain the past, and the places, even as we try to get
In the first half of the book, when Jeff gets on the road, he is undeniably homesick – ‘all I can think about is Liverpool’ – yet liberated – ‘I’ve never been so alone, so anonymous, so free’.
I ask him about this dualism and whether there is something about this city that cultivates it.
“[It] is one of those cities that has a particular kind of mythology about it,” he says. “I think there’s something about the makeup of the people in the city; the Irish and the Welsh, Lancashire and Afro-Caribbean communities
make Wild Twin such a treasure. Jeff, in all of his writing, shines a spotlight on the people and places that have fallen between the cracks – ‘the light shining on the overlooked’. His memories, it would seem, work in the same way.
The narrative often dwells in a shifting dreamscape; the instability of memory underpins much of it. Yet, there are moments when the elasticity of the timeline shudders to a halt and we linger, for just a second longer, on a memory of such raw lucidity that it takes you aback.
Jeff’s memory of his sister’s dying moments is so tangible that all of a sudden I wonder if memory is not, after all, peripheral but the most precious thing we possess.
In the final pages, he is back at his childhood home, now in his 60s, looking after his father who has Alzheimer’s.
The great American writer Paul Auster once said, when talking about his novel The Invention of Solitude, a meditation on the death of his father, that he ‘had to write about him or else he would disappear’.
Liverpool is one of those cities that has a kind of mythology about it; the people bring their dynamic vitalities that give the place a particular kind of energy. That’s irresistible.
“They all bring their dynamic vitalities to the place that give it a particular kind of energy. That’s irresistible.”
And what about the yearning to travel?
“There is something about a city of immigrants. All of those people that came over from Ireland generations ago; there is still the impulse
Somehow Jeff manages to explore the notion of memory and time gone by without adding any glaze of nostalgia. He floats
Even in a passage in which he recounts the ‘charade’ and ‘mess’ of his education, he isn’t cloying. In fact, he follows it with a litany of happy memories from his home-life. Time bends in Jeff’s writing, it folds in on itself. Happy memories are pasted over unhappy ones and
Jeff explains further: “I don’t think of time as a linear thing, it’s not chronological. It’s layered and overlapping.
“Nostalgia is, to me, not a negative. I’ve been thinking about radical nostalgia and radical nostalgia is using all the power, potency and energy of the past to reinvigorate the present.”
Jeff’s positivity matches his demeanour as he sits opposite me. He laughs easily and is entertaining company. Face-to-face interviews like this are rarer these days and I get the impression that, like me, he is enjoying a quiet chat in a quiet pub. is full of small moments of intimacy. Don’t expect wild trysts or heroism. What you get is, like our own day-to-day memories, fleeting remnants. Those echoes of the past that never leave us. Like the time he ‘put a domino in his mouth and kept it there for hours’ or ‘kept two frogs in a Pyrex bowl but felt sorry for them so set them free’.
Even in the chapters that take place in Amsterdam, a time when Jeff was surrounded by a myriad of larger-than-life characters that could fill a hundred books, there is nothing bombastic about it. It’s close and real.
Tony Soprano said that if we are lucky we will ‘remember the little moments, like this, that were good’. It is these little moments that
I ask Jeff about what his thoughts are on memory now after caring for a father who could no longer remember and after writing this book. Is it just an index of fragmented life episodes or is it all that we are?
“It’s not that [my dad] had lost his memory or it had been deleted, it was that he couldn’t find it. It was in there somewhere and you could see him almost physically struggling to find it. And so, without that repository, who was he? He didn’t know who he was anymore.
“90 years of life had gone somewhere. He’d gone. In that sense, our memory must be who we are.”
One topic I wanted to touch on with Jeff, both because he was a writer from the city and also so well versed in the artistic tapestry that runs through it, was whether the great Liverpool novel had yet been written. Is Liverpool’s James Joyce still out there?
“I had a conversation with Peter O’Halligan (poet and artist who set up the Liverpool School of Language, Music, Dream and Pun on Mathew Street in the 1980s) about this recently and he was comparing and contrasting Liverpool to Dublin – the amount of authors, playwrights, novelists that come out of Dublin and keep coming – and he was saying ‘where are Liverpool’s’’?
“Peter said culturally and historically the big monolithic thing is The Beatles. The Beatles probably are Liverpool’s James Joyce. In terms of the novel, Peter said something along the lines of ‘Liverpool is yet to find its Joyce or Becket and maybe one day when it does, it will be healed’.
“So, the dream of Liverpool, the imaginative realm of Liverpool still hasn’t found its Ulysses.”
I defy anyone to read Jeff describe Liverpool as a ‘memory archive of the lost, a future archive of tomorrow’, and not be inclined to glance down the forgotten streets and savour the characters on your next walk through town; to see the flickering ghosts of the past on street corners and standing at bars.
“Wild Twin weirdly is a book about Liverpool despite the fact that it’s often talking about Amsterdam and Paris and places in between,” Jeff tells me. “It’s actually about this city because I can’t get away from it.
“The city is far from perfect. It is a traumatised chaotic mess of a city but if you are remotely of a romantic inclination,” he says, leaning forward, “you see that it is a city with soul and of so many souls.”
After reading Wild Twin, you’d be hard pressed to disagree.
Wild Twin by Jeff Young is published by Little Toller
Legacie completes flagship Parliament Square development
Delivered across four blocks, ranging between eight and 18 storeys, the 500-apartment project is now fully occupied
Liverpool property firm Legacie has completed its flagship £90 million Parliament Square scheme – with the development now contributing £1m in council tax and business rates to Liverpool City Council.
The 500-unit project, which sits on the edge of the Baltic Triangle, is now fully occupied. Delivered across four blocks, ranging between eight and 18 storeys, Parliament Square provides a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom contemporary apartments.
The first and highest residential block in the multi-million-pound scheme is topped with a gymnasium, rooftop spa and residents lounge with views of Liverpool, Wirral and North Wales. Apartments within the development come furnished with a variety of modern amenities.
Parliament Square, which has won a string of regional and national awards, also includes a public plaza surrounded by new shops and restaurants totalling 12,000 sq ft.
Legacie received a £45m funding injection from London-based Maslow Capital to kick-start the development while it was promoted by international sales agent RW Invest, which successfully pre-sold all the new homes off-plan.
John Morley, CEO at Legacie, says completion of the project is a proud moment. He adds: “We are proud to have built a thriving new community at Parliament Square that is now generating an annual income in council tax and business rates for the city.
“In 2019, this was a site in need of significant investment and urgent regeneration and I am incredibly proud that we’ve been able to deliver this as well as develop something that offers prestigious living.
“Every single apartment at Parliament Square has been snapped up and this is testament to the quality of our product and the investment that has gone into bringing this scheme to life.
“Reaching practical completion is
a landmark moment for Legacie and underlines our commitment to developing standout commercial and residential projects.”
Parliament Square will soon welcome new restaurants, a national supermarket brand and a local bakery. It also supports more than 200 staff based in the groundfloor Grade A office space.
In July, Legacie was appointed by Great Places Housing Group to its Innovation Chain North (ICN) framework of contractors and consultants for the next four years.
The £1.5 billion framework has been designed to support delivery of new homes across the north of England, not only to support Great Places’ affordable development programme but also other housing associations operating throughout the region.
One of the 103 contractors and consultants from the 206 that applied to be successful, Legacie was selected based on its technical competence, price and commitment to social value.
Holly Johnson exhibition set to open at Museum of Liverpool
Iconic costumes, Frankie Goes to Hollywood memorabilia and paintings by the musician will be on display
LAUNCHING AT MUSEUM OF LIVERPOOL on Saturday 14 September 2024, The Holly Johnson Story explores the incredible life of Holly Johnson and his meteoric rise to fame, where he became one of the first openly gay and openly HIV+ high profile artists in history.
The opening of this exhibition also marks the 40th anniversary release of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s album Welcome to the Pleasuredome featuring ‘Relax’, ‘Two Tribes’ and ‘The Power of Love’.
Supported by a £142,338 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Museums Liverpool has partnered with local arts organisations Homotopia and DuoVision in collaboration with Holly Johnson to deliver this landmark exhibition that will take visitors on a journey through Holly’s outstanding career, from his early years in Liverpool to international stardom.
Made possible by National Lottery players, the exhibition is part of a project that has
documented LGBTQ+ heritage by working with sexual health and wellness charity Sahir, to explore Holly’s archive and capture the stories of local LGBTQ+ people in community workshops and oral history sessions.
Featured in the exhibition are unique items from Holly’s career, including iconic costumes by Leigh Bowery and Vivienne Westwood, Frankie Goes to Hollywood memorabilia, personal audio accounts of people living with HIV in Liverpool, produced in collaboration with Sahir House, and paintings by Holly himself.
Social and political unrest in a changing 1980s Britain led the way for a cultural revolution, set against a backdrop of synth-pop music and experimental sounds. The era was a time of innovation and rebellion, punks, and new wave bands, and at the forefront stood Holly Johnson.
The Holly Johnson Story charts Holly’s early personal life and career, from a young musician to an internationally renowned,
Discover BOXPARK Liverpool: Your go-to destination for food, drinks & entertainment
Baltic Triangle venue launched earlier this year following a £5 million investment
SITUATED IN THE HEART of the Baltic Triangle, BOXPARK Liverpool is a lively food, drink, and entertainment space, offering a diverse mix of street food kitchens, multiple bars, a beer garden, and a nightclub that stays open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Open seven days a week from 11am, BOXPARK features an array of cuisines from Korean and Chinese to Mexican and Indian, as well as classics such as pizzas and burgers. Visitors can also enjoy some fantastic drink deals, including a not-to-be-missed Happy Hour, house spirits with mixers, and wines, plus 2-for-£10 on cocktails – a perfect excuse to unwind any day of the week.
Beyond the food and drinks, BOXPARK Liverpool boasts a busy weekly events schedule. Mondays feature Salsa lessons and an after-school film club, while Tuesdays host the city’s biggest interactive pub quiz. Wednesdays are all about student nights, offering exclusive deals, workshops and more. Thursdays turn up the energy with live bands and resident DJs, and Fridays bring a mix of big entertainment, from comedy nights to disco parties. On Saturdays, you can get tickets for a wild bottomless brunch and then head to the venue’s vibrant garden to carry on the party. Sundays are dedicated to family fun, with free arts and crafts and even guitar lessons for the little ones.
On the first floor, visitors will find GameBox, a ‘play area’ where they can challenge friends to pool, shuffleboard, and FIFA
openly gay star, living in the public eye. Dealing with the price of fame, coping with an HIV+ diagnosis and the unwanted negative press, whilst going it alone as a monumental LGBTQ+ icon.
Through polarising emotions of glamour and sexual liberation, alongside fear, loss, and stigma, The Holly Johnson Story tells the stories of people who experienced the gay scene in the ’80s, and the devastating impact and legacy of HIV.
The Holly Johnson Story opens at the Museum of Liverpool on 14 September 2024, running until 27 July 2025
competitions, run in partnership with Arcains. Guests will also discover BeatBox, BOXPARK’s signature nightclub and space for arts, culture and live music events hosted throughout the week. Whether you’re popping in for a quick bite, enjoying a night out, or looking for family-friendly fun, BOXPARK Liverpool has it all. Entry is free (excluding ticketed events), and while walk-ins are always welcome, you can also book your spot through the website.
Plan your visit now at www.boxpark.co.uk/liverpool
homeware trends Autumn
From bold stripes and bright colours, to muted neutrals and classic textures, autumn is all about starting afresh – whether you’re going for a full refurb or just want a couple of extra bits
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT AUTUMN that gives that ‘new year’ – maybe it’s the change in seasons, maybe it’s the start of the school year. But whatever it is, there’s no better time to get acquainted with autumn’s biggest trends in homewares.
n STRIPES
Up first: stripes. Big, bold, beautiful stripes – in the big stuff and the little bits. If you’re ready to go the whole hog, the Suffolk Armchair in red and white stripes or the Sophie Conran x John Lewis sofa in grey and white stripes are both gorgeous, eye-catching pieces that’ll liven up any room. For something more subtle, lampshades (in all colours and all sizes) and hand painted vases make for the perfect housewarming presents.
n CARAMEL & AUBURN
If there’s one tone that signifies autumn, it has to be the warm, decadent tones of caramel and auburn: the colour of the leaves as they fall; the sky at the end of a cold day; the tones of the fireplace as it heats up the room. And now you can add the tones into your home, whether you go little (in cushions and throws) or
£300
n MAXIMALIST PATTERNS
For every minimalist, there’s a maximalist: those who can’t resist an eyecatching pattern, where flamboyance is the name of the game – but always with a classic ethos front and centre. Think bold floral wallpapers, brightlypatterned rugs, cushions that’ll break up neutral tones and add some extra depth, and crockery that will fast become your everyday favourites.
n MINIMALIST MODERN
And for every maximalist, there’s a minimalist, who loves modern, clean shapes and simple (mostly pattern-free) designs. If you prefer to have the bulk of your furniture statementfree, then this is the trend for you – although that’s not to say that you can’t add a small amount of pattern here or there.
Else Floral Pleat
Lampshade
£50
Boucle Sphere
Cushion
£20
Boucle King
Size Bed Frame
£799
Ikat Jute Rug
Football For Change announces funding for Mandela8’s latest project
‘Roots
& Wings’ aims to help young people who lack positive role models and are at risk of criminal exploitation
Football For Change (FFC) has announced funding for Roots & Wings, the youth engagement programme which works with young people at risk of criminal exploitation and those who have become disengaged from education.
The project, which is delivered by Mandela8 in collaboration with Taking Shape, aims to provide young people suffering the social and economic consequences of living in communities of high deprivation and high levels of crime, with opportunities in education, the chance to learn new skills and includes restorative justice practices.
Roots & Wings also wants to find enduring solutions to prevent the young people from becoming involved in crime and violence, understand the cause and effect, reduce naivety and increase the resilience and strength of at-risk young
people to not get involved.
FFC has committed to funding Roots & Wings for three years and is also supporting the organisation with a potentially life-changing visit to South Africa for young people affected by crime and deprivation in Liverpool 8.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, FFC ambassador, says: “The work Roots & Wings does is phenomenal. It is inspiring and I am really pleased that Football For Change has been able to provide this support.”
Sonia Bassey MBE, chair of Mandela8,
adds: “Mandela8 is delighted to receive such a generous award from Football For Change towards the Roots & Wings programme.”
FFC was launched in 2021 by footballers including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jamie Carragher and Conor Coady.
The charitable initiative aims to provide opportunities in education, employment, sport and training to young people affected by poverty and other social and economic disadvantages in some of the UK’s most challenged communities.
Sedulo strengthens deal advisory team with top appointment
Tom Rose joins with experience as a commercial analyst in the asset-based lending industry
One of the fastest-growing business advisory firms in the UK, Sedulo Group, has announced the appointment of Tom Rose as an associate in its deal advisory division.
Rose joins after almost three years at Praetura Commercial Finance, where he worked to provide both working capital and ABL solutions to SMEs, whilst also facilitating M&A transactions with debt funding, with the value commonly ranging between £1m and £25m.
His primary focus at Sedulo will be working on sell-side advisory and financial due diligence for the M&A and transaction services teams.
The hiring of Rose follows the recent directorlevel appointments of Logan Rowan as national
head of transaction services from KPMG, and Amit Rungta as transaction services director from PWC UK.
Logan, says: “We are delighted to welcome Tom to our deal advisory team, which continues to grow and deliver exceptional results for our clients.
“He is a great fit for the team and brings a wealth of experience of financial modelling and analysis of complex data sets representing skills which are invaluable to our service offering.”
Rose adds: “I am thrilled to join Sedulo Group, which is an ambitious and dynamic firm that offers a full range of advisory services to its clients. I look forward to working with the talented deal advisory team and contributing to the firm’s growth and success.”
for the Ripe
picking
Heather Marsh on harvesting the bountiful fruits of our hedgerows
AS A GARDENER AND AN ETERNAL OPTIMIST, come September, with the kids back at school and summer on its way out, I’m usually ready for the change of seasons. However, missing a season out altogether, as I feel we have done this year, is a different ball game, and not one I’m quite prepared for. There’s no doubt about it, this summer was a real letdown. It wasn’t so much the rain (we’ve had the wettest 18 months on record), but just how downright cold it’s been. I know I’m not alone when I say I’m beginning to feel rather glum, and the erratic weather conditions have not just thrown me out of kilter but nature too. While my herbaceous borders flourished and flowered profusely, the lack of sunshine on my fruit trees wreaked havoc. No juicy plums or raspberries for me this year! I did have plenty of leafy canes, gooseberries, and a handful of small pears, but my beloved Damson tree looks as if it’s given up altogether with not
a single little fruit to its name. Whilst my old apple trees have fared surprisingly well considering, all in all, this summer’s fruit yield has been drastically reduced.
For years now, I’ve spent every September ritually harvesting and gleaning as much fruit from the garden as possible to start my jam, compote and chutney making. I love it and find it an almost therapeutic way of letting go of summer. But this year, with such little fruit at my disposal, I thought I’d be missing out, but I was wrong. Nature always compensates to redress the balance! Right now, hedgerows are bursting with an abundance of wild fruits just ripe for the picking and it’s the humble little blackberry that helped save the day. By picking enough blackberries to supplement the meagre fruit I’d managed to salvage from the garden this year, I’m still able to make my annual stock of jams and chutneys.
Take your pick!
Blackberries are probably the best-known hedgerow fruit in the UK and are in bountiful supply right now if you know where to look. Back in the day, going ‘blackberrying’ was one thing I knew I still had to look forward to after the summer holidays. The whole family would get involved – picking pounds of fruit, most of which turned into bags of red mush before we even got home, except for my mum’s, as she always brought a Tupperware box. Today’s children still love activities like this and are always enthusiastic, so get them involved. It’s a great way of introducing them to foraging. The bramble is a savage menace in a lot of our gardens, unless you leave it to its own devices and come September it will have produced masses of delicious berries. There are hundreds of wild varieties that grow in this country and thankfully because they are so tough and hardy, this summer’s miserable weather hasn’t bothered them at all. Always choose ripe berries that are free from mould and disease and as the fruits are fragile, and try to be as gentle as possible when picking them. Be sure to place them in a rigid plastic container – used ice cream tubs are ideal. Avoid picking fruit close to the ground where animals like cats, dogs and foxes may have come into contact with them, and away from busy roads where they can be contaminated with pollutants from cars. Full of vitamin C, ripe blackberries are delicious eaten as they come – in fact, one of the perks of blackberrying is scoffing as many as you like on the job. Each variety, although wild, can taste very different. Some berries are sweeter than others and some quite tart, but all can be cooked and used in a whole manner of ways. Although most often used as filling for crumbles and pies, or made into jams; blackberry purees or coulis are so easy to make and are probably the quickest –something you need to bear in mind as blackberries don’t keep for long, even in the fridge. All my children and grandchildren love this coulis poured over ice cream, cheesecake, or best of all stirred into whipped cream and crumbled meringue to make the easiest and most delicious Eton Mess.
To make the coulis, simply place the berries (freshly picked or frozen) in a saucepan with icing sugar to taste. Next, put the pan on low heat, stirring a little to break the fruit – there is no need to add water as the blackberries have plenty of their own juice. Simmer for about 5 -10 minutes, then strain the fruit through a metal sieve. The coulis should be smooth and silky by now, free from all seeds and bits, that’s probably why the children like it so much. This coulis will keep in the fridge for about five days and also freezes well.
Heather’s Autumn Chutney
This is my go-to recipe for a delicious chutney that makes full use of every and any kind of fruit that’s available in the wild at this time of year. Chutney can make perfect use of bruised and fallen fruit which means nothing goes to waste. You don’t strictly have to use the same fruits here either, just stick to the same quantities and throw in whatever fruit you prefer and have most of.
INGREDIENTS
1kg pears/apples – a mixture is fine
500g white onions
500g red onions
500g blackberries.
500g sultanas
500g tomatoes
200g chopped dates
1tsp chilli flakes
METHOD
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp sea salt
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2tsp coarse grain mustard
1 thumb sized piece of grated ginger
500g soft brown sugar
575ml malt vinegar
1. Begin by finely chopping the tomatoes and onions before placing into a large, heavy-based saucepan. If you like a finer chutney using a food processor is an alternative to all that chopping by hand.
2. Add the peeled, cored and chopped apples and pears, then the blackberries and dates.
3. Add chilli flakes, garlic, ginger, mustard and salt and finally pour over the vinegar.
4. Bring to the boil over a gentle heat and simmer for an hour stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and burning. The mixture should now begin to thicken.
5. Add the sugar next and stir to make sure it has all dissolved. Continue cooking for another hour.
6. Finally, once the mixture has thickened, carefully pour the mixture into sterilised hot jars, cover and seal.
Chutney is best left to mature for at least a couple of weeks before you eat it. We’re still eating jars from a batch I made last September and it’s absolutely delicious – especially with cold meats and cheeses. I assure you it won’t be long before you’re making another batch!
What’s on...
Events not to be missed over the next four weeks
Nish Kumar, Playhouse
New restaurant brings authentic Arabic experience to city
The Gulf House in Madison Square claims to be the ‘first of its kind’ in the UK
A BRAND-NEW RESTAURANT HAS OPENED in Liverpool city centre, bringing a flavour of the Middle East to Merseyside.
The Gulf House Restaurant in Madison Square, off Duke Street, has been designed to look like a traditional ’70s’ souk, or market, in Dubai, complete with terracotta mudeffect walls, Arabic script decoration and woven rugs and furniture.
Although there are tables and chairs, in some areas, guests are invited to take off their shoes as they enter before – sitting on the floor to enjoy an authentic spiced-filled sharing feast.
A restaurant spokesman says: “People don’t just want to dine today, they want an experience, and we can guarantee to give them a wonderful one.
“Many people who travel to Dubai wonder what it used to look like before the high-rise luxury buildings and designer shops – and this is what they would have found 50 years ago, and still in some places today.
“It’s like walking into a ’70s souk, or market, complete with everything that you’d see and hear there, from the music to the woven rugs and baskets, and the amazing smells from the freshly-cooked food and spices.”
The menu includes offerings like Lamb Fahsah, shredded lamb in marag (a lamb broth) with fenugreek that’s served with freshly-made naan bread; chicken Mandi, half a tender chicken on the bone cooked in a special Mandi spiced blend and served with rice, salad, and a spicy yoghurt sauce, and salmon fillets, marinated in a blend of spices, before being roasted in a clay oven.
There are also wraps and burgers, given a Middle Eastern twist, and the Gulf House serves breakfast with dishes including omelettes, shakshuka (scrambled egg cooked with onion, tomatoes and spices) and mugalgal, small cutlets of lamb meat cooked with cheese, onion, garlic, tomatoes and spices.
4 October
As seen and heard on The Mash Report, Taskmaster, Pod Save the UK and Live at the Apollo, Nish Kumar is back on tour with his brand new politically-charged stand-up show, Nish, Don’t Kill My Vibe. Expect jokes about climate collapse, income inequality and the emotional sensation of being a British Indian man who isn’t going to vote for a British Indian Prime Minister.
13 Sep An Evening With Graham Norton, Empire
13 Sep– Romeo and Juliet, 5 Oct Shakespeare North Playhouse
19 Sep Roddy Doyle Discusses The Woman Behind The Door, Waterstones
21 Sep– The Lieutenant of 12 Oct Inishmore, Everyman
5 Oct Cirque: The Greatest Show, M&S Bank Arena
8 Oct An Evening with Ian Rankin, St George’s Hall
The Moondogs, Gladstone Theatre
4-5 October
Imagine if John Lennon’s persona belonged to someone else – Lucy Desmond. The Moondogs presents an alternate Beatles reality with Lucy as a rising star in the 1960s. After a sold-out run in 2022, this hit show by Ashley Ali returns to the Gladstone Theatre. A must-see for fans of the Fab Four and theatre lovers alike.
