Two new venues could soon open in "a little corner of Birkenhead" which once seemed out of the way but is now "right in the middle" of the town's regeneration.
A planning application has gone in for the Northern Powerhouse, a new bar and event space directly opposite the Wirral Transport Museum on Taylor Street. Owners Michael and Katie Ward have run a number of venues in Birkenhead for decades and took over the nearby popular Molly's Chambers about seven years ago.
They then bought the Mersey Equipment Company building next door at 82 to 90 Taylor Street. Now they plan to transform the buildings into two new venues, The Northern Powerhouse and the Taylor Street Tavern.
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Plans have gone into Wirral Council for planning approval which will then be followed by licensing applications. The Northern Powerhouse has run 40 events over three years already with no issues but this was only on a temporary basis.
The tavern will have an atmosphere similar to an Irish American dive bar with a range of ales and beers whereas the Northern Powerhouse, which would stay open to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, would host larger events. Another application has also been put in for a paintball and leisure venue next door.
The couple, along with Adam Pallett who recently took over Molly's Chambers, hope to turn the area into a hub similar to the likes of . With developments promised nearby like Wirral Waters and the Dock Branch Park, Michael believes they are in a good location for it.
He said: "It did seem a bit out of the way but all of a sudden it now seems to be right in the middle.
"When you are next to it all, there's a bit of excitement. All the places that they are building are not too far away. At Wirral Waters, there's nowhere for those people to have their entertainment, to go out for a little meal or a bit to eat and drink.
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"There's nothing around there but we are stone's throw away from it and maybe we can cater for that as well."
Michael said they want to create an area that caters for the slightly older crowd, adding: "We could get a little corner of Birkenhead going here.
"We were thinking we could create foot traffic with other venues and a reason to come down here. I was thinking about making it a wider area.
"This could be a catalyst for a little bit more investment of similar schemes in the area. Often when you have places that are doing well, people see it and jump on the back of it.
"It's hard to see it in Birkenhead the way it is now. If these plans all come together, the place could transform in 10 years time. In 15 years it could be like a different place. It's hard to see right now but that is the hope.
"Sometimes I saw this river could be an ocean to get people from Liverpool over to Birkenhead. I think in time with a nice little live music scene, I think people will think let's just have a change."
Adam Pallett, who will run the Northern Powerhouse, told the LDRS: "It's a very big space, probably the biggest event space in Birkenhead, maybe on the Wirral. I have always been in live music and venues, I have always been working towards something that is big enough to do touring bands.
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"We want to get on the touring circuit and get more bands coming to the Wirral, not always going to Liverpool.
"More things in the area just brings more people in. We want to get in food vendors, we want a box village type thing outside. It's just getting people out again and coming to this side of the water."
Adam said because of the venue's high ceilings, the acoustics are amazing for gigs as well as raves. They're even planning to do techno nights as he said many of the DJs currently playing in Liverpool actually live in Wirral.
Having recently taken over Molly's from Michael and Katie, Adam said: "Keeping everything together makes it a destination. People stay because they have everything there already for them, they do not need to go anywhere else."