test 5

Liverpool, a working-class city with
a less than admirable reputation.
It was neglected in the 1980s,
deemed unsuitable for substantial
funding and left in the shadows
while it’s metropolitan counterparts
Manchester and London were
regenerated instead. Relying on
two football teams and a band from
nearly 60 years ago to pull through,
Liverpool has often been seen as a
city to shy away from, and for a fair
reason. Always a step behind every
other major British city, Liverpool
was left in the past. But nowadays
it’s catching up fast, the north-west
is no longer a place to stray away
from. And I think it’s something
everyone from Liverpool has come
to recognise.
In the past 10 years, there has been
a substantial change with funding
being pumped into the city, mainly
64
thanks to Liverpool’s win of the
bid to become Europe’s ‘Capital
of Culture’ in 2008. It had proven
to be a profitable and sustainable
investment with a successful increase
in tourism and a greater attraction
to the city. Bold Street is a melting
pot for a concoction of different
cultures, and has always been a place
of interest in Liverpool, as well as a
place for the youth to hang out. The
Baltic Triangle is rising up the ranks
as one of Liverpool’s top places to
visit. The development of areas such
as the Albert Dock and Liverpool 1
also deserve honourable mentions.
But Liverpool 1 being dominated by
large names and corporations meant
that foundations could be built for
other areas across the city.
The main areas for Liverpool’s
growing alternative scene have to be
the aforementioned Baltic Triangle
Bold Street. The Baltic Triangle,
once considered a dump, has now
been monopolised and turned into
valuable land that independent
businesses have snapped up. It
captured an audience of all ages with
a new wave of mentality, affecting
the fashion scene heavily.
Influence from these alternative
areas encouraged people to dress
‘differently’ and be themselves.
Acceptance of these new styles
allowed the city to become a
centre for change and diversity, a
proud achievement that has to be
recognised. Once known for permed
hair and an accent that would make
Geordies flinch, Liverpool has now
embraced new trends and styles,
overall becoming a much ‘trendier’
city. For the more style-savvy
people in Liverpool, stores such as
Resurrection, The Outsiders Store,