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Once a place for the successful and rich to shop and schmooze, the Bohemian Quarter’s Bold Street was considered to be the Bond Street of the North.

With Liverpool’s decline in its riches and trade after its prosperous maritime years, the affluent Bold Street also suffered alongside it. Booming businesses began their decay and for many years, it was a forlorn area where its once beautiful buildings were just a reminder of its fall from grace.

However, like many areas that experience decline, including the city of Liverpool itself, the lack of prosperity fed its soul, imaginations and entrepreneurial spirit. It soon became the place for a range of independent businesses to prosper and flourish, where the voices of passionate charities, campaigners and activists filled the street, injecting their soulful voices into its very air. The local undiscovered talent would perch on one of its corners and entertain the passersby with music and art, offering their talent simply to uplift the spirits of the locals. 

This bohemian spirit contributed to the area’s edge and vibe, making it a very attractive place for businesses to set up and trade. Now, the street is known for its independent stance of local businesses owned by local people, from bars and restaurants to travel agents, gift shops and coffee shops. A place where people choose to shop local and soak up the bohemian air that flows up and down the streets, a breath of fresh air in a commercialised world. 

Entertainment

Shopping in the Bohemian Quarter offers a different vibe to the commercialised city centre that is home to some of the world’s largest brands. In this area, you can enjoy supporting independent store owners. 

FACT (Foundation for Art & Creative Technology)
Just a stone’s throw away from Bold Street is the FACT, the UK’s leading media arts centre that is a hub for film, art and media. Although known for its support of the independent creatives, its cinema also shows some of the latest films in state-of-the-art screens, some of which include comfy seats. Its three galleries play host to four exhibitions a year, one of the most well-known exhibitions featured Shia LaBeouf, who spent three days at FACT as part of the #TouchMySoul exhibition in 2015.

News from Nowhere
The over-commercialised bookshops of the city centre can be a stab in the heart for the true bookworms who actually enjoy the process of searching through the shelves and losing themselves in a good book. Luckily, tucked away on Bold Street is News from Nowhere, a much-loved non-for-profit community bookstore. It has been at the heart of the Bohemian Quarter since 1974 and is run by a women workers’ co-operative. A fantastic place to visit and get to know those who work there.

Five Quick Facts

1 The Bohemian Quarter, which stretches from Renshaw Street to Duke Street is also known as The Ropewalks, due to its history of the warehouses making ropes for the city’s docks. Workers used to lay the rope out lengthways along the streets.  2 The Church of St Luke, or locally known as 'The Bombed Out Church' was hit during the Liverpool Blitz in 1941. It was decided that it would remain in its state as a permanent memorial to all those who died as a result of the war.  3

In 1852, Colquitt Street was home to an Egyptian museum, founded by Joseph Mayer, a collector and antiquary. Visitors were able to explore the collections of antiques, relics and artefacts from ancient Egypt. 

4 Seel Street is home to St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, a beautiful church built in 1788 when the area was mostly rural. It is now home to the famous club, Alma de Cuba, which kept the original features of the Church.  5 The courtyard in between the huge warehouses between Wood Street and Fleet Street is known as Concert Square. It is one of the liveliest areas in the city, packed with bars and clubs that attract mostly tourists to the city. 

Shops

Shared Earth
For those who love crystals, incense and cultural trinkets, there really is no better place to go than Shared Earth. A small store that is filled with the most beautiful gifts from across the globe, from dream catchers, worry dolls and salt lamps. As a Fairtrade store, you can shop for gifts knowing that those who make them will benefit. A beautiful store, where you could spend hours looking through all the unusual gifts.

Mattas
The Bohemian Quarter has always attracted the culturally different, from people setting up home and churches setting up places of worships to entrepreneurs setting up businesses. In this melting pot of cultures, there will always be a need to cater for the variety of culinary palettes and there is no better place that does that than a small family-run business that has called Bold Street home for over thirty years. Although small, shoppers can find everything from organic fruit and vegetables, spices and a variety of other deliciously tasty products.  

Bars & Restaurants

Mowgli Street Food

Mowgli is about how Indians eat at home and on their streets, pared back and unplugged. She was born to feed the raw need Indians have for Tiffins full of fresh bright intense flavour. Mowgli is not about the intimate, hushed dining experience. It is about the smash and grab zing of healthy, light, virtuosic herbs and spices.

The Mowgli experience is about a fresh take on Indian food. It is a million miles away from the curry house experience. Mowgli dishes follow the Hindu tradition of garlic and onion free dishes for lunch.  This is how Indians eat in the privacy of their home kitchens and favourite lunchtime street stalls. Mowgli is a new face of Indian food and at its heart is the brisk freshness of Indian food unplugged. Founder and CEO Nisha Katona opened her first Mowgli on Bold Street in Liverpool in 2014 when she was still working full time as a Barrister. The brand expanded quickly and now operates two sites in Liverpool, as well as one each in Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham and Oxford. 

Address - Mowgli, 69 Bold Street, Liverpool L1 4EZ

Telephone - 0151 708 9356

Social Media - Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

Aloha

Located just off the popular Seel Street, Aloha offers a distinctly different vibe to its many neighbouring bars, bringing a taste of the tropics to the streets of the city.

The sights, sounds and scents of Hawaii await all those who enter its underground home, with its candle-lit tables and private coves adding to its clandestine allure. The beach-bar style Tiki bar offers guests an array of amazing cocktails, including Sharers for groups of friends who gather around to enjoy the tastes of the volcanic Mauna Loa or the secrets of Deadman’s Chest. Soft rock and reggae beats create a warm and friendly atmosphere that is the epitome of the Bohemian Quarter’s unique vibe.

Address - Aloha, 22 Colquitt Street, Liverpool, L1 4DE

Telephone - 07376 298 684

Social Media -  Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Almost Famous

Located on the outskirts of the Bohemian Quarter, Almost Famous may have veered away from the status quo with their effortlessly cool Parr Street venue, perhaps a nod to its independent and quirky persona. This infamous burger joint creates juicy-over-the-top-mouth-watering masterpieces in a lively atmosphere. With toppings like slow cooked BBQ pork, waffle fries, Wonderdust and burger names like “Everyone’s got a gun in Texas” you’ll be pleased you discovered this Liverpool legend.

Address - ​Almost Famous, 11-13 Parr Street, Liverpool, L1 4JN

Telephone - 0151 353 9733

Social Media - Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Be At One

It may be a little off the beaten track of Seel Street, however, the extra walk is worth it once you step into a little haven of great music, cocktails and really, really nice bathrooms! Their fun and very Instagrammable cocktail menu makes it a tough choice to choose from, however, with fun and friendly bar staff on-hand to help you pick the perfect drink, it makes the evening much more enjoyable.  

Address - Be At One, 11-13 Seel St, Liverpool, L1 4AU

Telephone - 0151 203 1152

Social Media - Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Medication

Liverpool's greatest ever student night that has been a Rite of Passage for thousands of students for over a decade, each with a night from Medication ingrained into their memories. Students from across the country travel to enjoy this iconic night with cheap drinks, great music and electric atmosphere, there is little wonder why so many have passed through its doors. From its original home in the legendary Cream to its new home in Eletrik in the old home of Crazyhouse on Wood Street, wherever Medication goes, students will follow.   

Social Media - Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

La Fince Eivissa

One of the newest additions to The Bohemian Quarter is La Finca Eivissa, inspired by the beautiful Balearic island of Ibiza. It may be in the heart of Liverpool’s nightlife, but with swings at the bar, intimate enclaves and tapas on tap, it feels like the Mediterranean may be a little closer than we first thought. Relaxed Ibizan music and a delicious cocktail menu makes La Finca Eivissa a much-loved addition to the area. 

Address - La Finca Eivissa, 14 Back Colquitt St, Liverpool L1 4DE

Telephone - 0151 709 0999

Social Media - Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 
 

Alma de Cuba

Its name literally translates into ‘Soul of Cuba’, giving you a glimpse into what awaits when you step into the converted 18th century church. Full of colour and vibrancy, Alma de Cuba is one of the most popular clubs in the city and a must-visit to those who are visiting the city. On Friday and Saturday, guests can enjoy a petal shower raining from the heavens above the alter, while samba dancers take to the stage to wow the crowd.  

Address - Alma de Cuba, St Peters Church, Seel St, Liverpool L1 4BH

Telephone - 0151 305 3744

Social Media - Facebook | Instagram | Twitter