New art trail would 'revitalise' Penny Lane

Artist Ian van de Waal said local businesses inspired him to create an art trail

An artist said he wanted to create an art trail along Penny Lane to breathe new life into Liverpool's best-known street.

The trail, designed to encourage tourists to spend more time in the area, would feature Beatles plaques, murals and maps.

"Penny Lane is the most famous lane in the world," said Ian van de Waal. "We get international tourists visiting every day and there's not very much for them to see. The idea is to encourage people to walk along the street, take in all the history of the area, spend some money in local businesses and support the local economy."

Once the plans are finalised, they will be submitted to Liverpool City Council.

The 41-year-old artist said Sir Paul McCartney's plaque would be outside St Barnabas church where, as a schoolboy, he sang in the choir.

John Lennon's would be on the corner of Dovedale Road, where he went to school, while George Harrison's would be in a memorial garden.

Ringo Starr, who has no physical link to Penny Lane, will be at the far end of the street, closest to his childhood home in Dingle.

Mr van de Waal, from Liverpool, said he was inspired to create the trail by local businesses.

They told him they saw no economic benefit from being in Penny Lane because Beatles fans typically left the area after taking a photograph of the road sign.

"I was frustrated by having a business that tourists went through but never stopped at," said Frazer Henry, owner of Penny Lane Art and Frame.

"We have had meetings in the past with other locals about the options but Ian has been the only person who has followed it through."

Mr Henry said it was equally important that visitors could learn about the history of the street.

"It would be great if there was more info and a connection so people could understand how it developed," he said.

"It's historical, it's educational, it's folklore. People want to know where the landmarks are from the song and what the story is behind them."

Paul McCartney and John Lennon pictured in a mural

Julie Gornell, senior charity officer for the Development Trust, a community centre based on the lane, said the art trail was a fantastic idea.

She said it would make the street more colourful, welcoming and intriguing for visitors.

"We feel Penny Lane should be celebrated more than it is," she said.

"We get thousands through here every year - they come to Penny Lane and say 'is this it?'

"If you're a huge Beatles fan to finally arrive at the top of Penny Lane is quite disheartening."

Mr van de Waal said previous attempts to improve the area had stalled.

After hearing about Mr van de Waal's plan, Sarah Harrison, director of Penny Lane-based Harrison Stringfellow Architects, offered to "help ease him through the red tape" on a pro bono basis.

"We're architects so we like to help shape spaces and communities," she said. "We're already embedded in the community and we're also a local independent.

"It's not that he's not capable of doing [the necessary paperwork], but it takes so much time and we don't want it to dampen his enthusiasm.

"You can see he's started something and it's growing. It feels as if there's a bit of momentum building and hopefully that will become a catalyst for things to develop."