It was as soon as a thriving maritime hub, together with for the transatlantic slave commerce, however after years of commercial decline, Liverpool’s economic system is getting a lift from its most well-known sons.
“This is the most important house of the most important band of contemporary music,” Magical Mystery Tour information Dale Roberts tells vacationers outdoors the terraced dwelling the place The Beatles’ Paul McCartney grew up.
McCartney lived at 20 Forthlin Road earlier than he turned one of many “Fab Four” — together with John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — and a worldwide celebrity.
The red-bricked property is now run by heritage physique the National Trust, as is Lennon’s former dwelling at 251 Menlove Avenue. Both websites are regulars on vacationer trails for followers of the band.
Like different cities and cities throughout the UK, Liverpool, a port metropolis in northwest England, is going through a cost-of-living disaster.
Its economic system relies on “football and The Beatles”, says advertising supervisor Victoria McDermott, whose employer runs the tour and owns the Cavern Club the place The Beatles minimize their enamel within the early Nineteen Sixties.
The metropolis, which final month hosted the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of 2022 winners Ukraine, is dwelling to English Premier League soccer golf equipment Liverpool and Everton.
“It’s very emotional,” says Graham Biley after viewing McCartney’s former dwelling as a part of the Magical Mystery Tour, the title of a Beatles music and a surreal 1967 movie.
Part-time musician Biley, 70, is joined by about 40 individuals on the bus experience, which additionally takes in Penny Lane and Strawberry Field, which each function in titles of two of the band’s hottest songs.
“Don’t be too long otherwise you’ll stay stuck in ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’,” jokes Roberts as he spells out the complete title to laughter from the purchasers.
“The first time I heard The Beatles song ‘The Long and Winding Road’, I cried,” recollects Hiromi Beckstrom, 56, retelling the second round 45 years later.
Japanese-born, she travelled from the United States together with her daughter Alexandra on what she described as a “pilgrimage”.
Two world wars, the Great Depression and de-industrialisation plunged Liverpool into a protracted financial decline.
“But… (then) four things happened,” says Roberts. “John, Paul, George and Ringo!”
It was six many years in the past, however “Beatlemania” lives on in Liverpool, the place statues of the Fab Four might be discovered across the metropolis.
Two museums are additionally devoted to the band together with numerous eating places, bars and memento outlets paying homage and producing massive sums for the native economic system.
Almost half of Liverpool’s enterprise tax income comes from tourism, native councillor Harry Doyle informed AFP.
Beatles-related tourism is price about £120 million ($152 million) per yr and helps some 2,500 jobs, in line with native authorities knowledge.
The rebuilt Cavern Club, in the meantime, welcomes 800,000 followers out of twenty-two million guests yearly, stated McDermott.
Music tourism is an enormous earner too in neighboring Manchester, the birthplace of Britpop legends Oasis.
Glasgow attracts followers of Scottish indie band Belle & Sebastian, whereas Amy Winehouse devotees pay homage to her statue within the beehive-haired singer’s outdated hang-out of Camden Market in north London.
Beckstrom and her daughter are additionally planning a visit to London’s Abbey Road Studios, the place The Beatles recorded most of their music.
Britain is dwelling to famend summer time music festivals, notably Glastonbury, which opened on Wednesday and is predicted to draw about 200,000 guests.
Headline acts embrace worldwide stars akin to Elton John, Cat Stevens, Guns N’Roses and Lana del Rey.
The UK music business generated £4 billion in 2021 — nonetheless a way behind a determine of £5.8 billion earlier than the Covid pandemic.
Abroad, the United States advantages from followers of Elvis Presley heading to his fabled dwelling Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, whereas Jamaica attracts followers of Bob Marley.
Danske Bank chief economist Michael Grahn estimated that the beginning of Beyonce’s world tour in Stockholm final month contributed 0.2 share factors to Swedish inflation as followers flocked to accommodations and eating places.
UK official knowledge Wednesday confirmed annual inflation remained at 8.7 % in May — the best within the G7 — partially owing to greater reserving charges for live performance tickets.
Concert venues are additionally battling a steep hike in power and different payments, after already having to shut throughout the pandemic.
“It’s incredibly important that we look after” this musical heritage, stated McDermott.
© 2023 AFP