Plans to create a new “immersive waterfront attraction” have taken a step forward.
In October 2021, then-chancellor Rishi Sunak said £2m would be provided to help develop what was then billed as a new “Beatles attraction” as support for a raft of "Levelling Up" projects across the region was revealed. The money is being provided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) who, when approached by the ECHO in January this year, said the timeframe for providing the funding was within the 2022/23 financial year, meaning the window remained open for a few more months.
The ECHO understands the money has now been received and the process of building a business case for the new attraction is now underway. It is thought the process will take around six months and will go towards fleshing out the plans to make the proposed attraction a reality.
READ MORE: Liverpool must be ambitious to reap rewards of Eurovision dream
While plans are still in the works, it is still not clear what form the attraction will take. Following the 2021 autumn statement where the announcement of the funds was made, it was confirmed that the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority had been working on securing funding for the attraction from as far back as 2018.
After the announcement, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram reaffirmed his vision for establishing “a truly world-class, cutting-edge immersive Beatles experience”. However the emphasis on the Beatles being at the heart of the project appeared to differ from the vision of Liverpool City Council which suggested it should be “Beatles included” rather than Beatles-led and also celebrate the region’s wider cultural offer.
A previous working title for the project was 'The Pool'. It is now understood that going forward it is now being referred to as 'Liverpool Music Project'.
There was initially a mixed reception about the plans in 2021 with some questioning the need for a new attraction at a time when the city was heading towards a worsening cost of living crisis. However the Metro Mayor had previously confirmed the money could only be spent on cultural projects.
Speaking to the ECHO last week, Liverpool City Council Director of Culture Claire McColgan said it is the “right time” to press on with the project as the city looks to cement its Eurovision legacy. Metro Mayor Rotheram added that the event "will live long in people's hearts and minds - but I want to ensure that we're creating a tangible, lasting legacy for our region too", with the Combined Authority said to have been leading on the plans in recent weeks.
One of the sites The ECHO understands to have been considered for its location is the former Merseyside Police HQ at Canning Place.
A collection of other sites are also said to have been looked at, but no further details on the different options being explored have been released at this stage.
Speaking about the Eurovision legacy and the work now underway, Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: "I have no doubt that Eurovision 2023 will live long in people's hearts and minds - but I want to ensure that we're creating a tangible, lasting legacy for our region too.
"Hundreds of thousands of people descended on our area for an unforgettable two weeks and, while for many of them, it might have been their first visit, I'm confident that it won't be their last. It's estimated that returning tourism from Eurovision will generate £250m for our visitor economy over the next few years.
“But Eurovision was the latest glittering chapter in the region’s back catalogue of musical success. Liverpool Music, a new immersive waterfront attraction would bring those greatest hits to life – and help us nurture the next generation of Liverpool City Region number ones. I've long said that this project has the potential to become another unbelievably important tourist attraction that could bring even more visitors from across the globe to our area.
“I was really glad that our joint efforts paid off when the government awarded £2m to help develop the business case. Work is currently underway to develop a plan to explore its potential to help us strengthen our region's cultural offer, creating secure, well-paid jobs and training opportunities along the way and keeping music fans coming to our region for years to come."
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