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Funding for music attraction aimed at inspiring the next Beatles


By PA News

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A new statue of the Beatles outside the Liverbuilding (Peter Byrne/PA)

A visitor attraction celebrating Liverpool’s music has been given a £2 million funding boost with the hope of inspiring the next John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney.

In his Budget on Wednesday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced £2 million for a new Beatles attraction on the city’s waterfront.

Liverpool City Council said plans were for a destination dedicated to celebrating and creating music, which had the working title The Pool.

The authority said the development would be made up of visitor experiences and music performances – aligned to the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA), founded by Sir Paul – to form a centre for elite and emerging talent.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “If anything personifies Levelling Up, it’s the story of The Beatles. They came from humble backgrounds in Liverpool and went on to be the most important band in history.

“This funding will help unlock opportunities so that any child, no matter what corner of Liverpool they come from, or beyond, can become the next Lennon or McCartney.”

A £20 million boost of Levelling Up funding was also announced for Tate Liverpool and National Museums Liverpool.

The news comes months after the city’s waterfront lost its status as a Unesco World Heritage Site due to fears developments were threatening its value.

Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson said: “Liverpool is known around the world for its historic waterfront, but it is really important that it doesn’t stand still and we continue to invest in it.

“This announcement feels like a real line in the sand moment in the wake of Unesco’s World Heritage decision, and we can now move forward and do things differently.

“This significant new pot of funding will make sure that our docks will continue to be a major draw for tourists and locals alike for many years to come.

“This city is synonymous with incredible music and The Pool will create a world-class visitor attraction, a blueprint for the future of music education but most importantly it will create opportunities and joy for the people of this city.

“National Museums Liverpool and Tate Liverpool are national institutions, with track records of successful delivery operating at a scale unique for cultural organisations outside London so we’re proud to have worked with them to help achieve this investment.”

The funding will allow the museums to work on a project transforming the area between the Royal Albert Dock and Mann Island on the waterfront.

Laura Pye, director of National Museums Liverpool, said: “With support from the Levelling Up Fund, National Museums Liverpool and Tate Liverpool are proud to work together on this flagship development for the North West which will see the next evolution of our world-famous waterfront for the benefit of everyone.

“We will combine our sites, resources, and shared vision for the waterfront to create a new inclusive public realm that connects people with place and drives economic recovery and growth for the region.”

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