Ropewalks

Ropewalks is sometimes referred to as ‘Liverpool’s Independent Quarter’ since it’s the home of numerous independent businesses of all sorts, from restaurants and bars to vintage shops and art stores.

Tucked within the Riverside Ward of Liverpool, Ropewalks was given its curious name as a nod to the craft of rope-making for sailor ships in the 19th century. It’s no surprise that this was a large industry for the area at the time, considering its waterside location. You could easily spend an entire day in Ropewalks wandering in and out of shops, restaurants and historic streets.

Ropewalks - one of the highlights of 10 Most Popular Neighbourhoods in Liverpool (Read all about Liverpool here)

photo by Андрей Бобровский (CC BY 3.0) modified

Highlights of Ropewalks

One of Ropewalks’ most fascinating landmarks is St Luke’s Church, often referred to as the ‘Bombed Out Church’. It’s called such because it was significantly damaged during the May Blitz of 1941. Only the building’s external structure remained, but 60 years later, the site was cleaned up and repurposed into a cultural events space.

Bluecoat is another of Ropewalks’ extraordinary buildings and is the UK’s oldest centre for contemporary arts. In the 1700s, the building was founded as Blue Coat Hospital, which was a charity school for orphans. Artists began to move into the building in 1907 after the school relocated to a new location.

photo by Rodhullandemu (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified

Good to know about Ropewalks

Ropewalks runs from Roscoe Street to Hanover Street and Lydia Ann Street to Renshaw Street, and it houses the continent's oldest established Chinatown. Here, you can explore a variety of quirky and unique shops, such as Dig Vinyl for a wide range of genres. For vintage clothes, head down to Pop Boutique, Resurrection, COW and 69A. Sci-fi fans can geek out at Forbidden Planet, which specialises in sci-fi, fantasy and cult entertainment.

Hungry? Add Duke Street Market to your itinerary, which is a warehouse-turned-food emporium that hosts 6 food stalls and a 60-seat restaurant. Plus, if you have children along with you, there’s a kids area.

photo by Андрей Бобровский (CC BY 3.0) modified

Location: Ropewalks, Liverpool, UK

Open: Hours vary per business

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