Hot stop on Liverpool Beatles tourist trail

by Martin Thomas. Published Wed 31 Dec 2008 05:00, Last updated: 2008-12-31

A new stop-off point has been added to The Beatles map of Liverpool with tourists rolling-up to be pictured with a piece of "official grafitti".

The images are in the style of the cover of John Lennon's Rock n' Roll album, and were commissioned to mark the city's year as European Capital of Culture.

Belfast artists Mark Ervine and Danny Devenny painted the murals for the Riverside Group Housing Association and the Liverpool Mural Project.

Loyalist Mark and Republican Danny worked along with Liverpool artists on the gable end in Croxteth Avenue, Litherland.

The site just off the A59 trunk road is not far from Litherland Town Hall - a venue that The Beatles played several times during the Merseybeat era.

Hugh Owen, Director of Policy and Communication at The Riverside Group said: "The ethos behind the project is to encourage communities to work together which is directly in line with The Riverside Group�s mission to regenerate our communities on Merseyside and beyond.

"It�s amazing the way that Mark and Danny are working together in a way that demonstrates that once divided communities can move on and embrace the future.

"The gable is located at a key gateway to the city, and this iconic image will be visible to thousands coming from Liverpool to the North."

Alongside the 14 foot image of Lennon, posters and flyers depict publicity for the Beatles concerts held locally in the Lathom Club and Litherland Town Hall in the 1960s.

The four Beatles are also illustrated on a wall next to the gable end... along with images of Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe who are shown "walking away".

Peter Morrison of the Liverpool Mural Project said: "This is the first real collaboration between the leading mural artists from both communities of Belfast and Liverpool artists.

"Our plan was always to produce amazing and inspiring public art that can be enjoyed by everyone - not just in the city centre."

Beatles Guide Phil Coppell said: "It's sheer size makes it a very eye-catching work of art and because people can walk right up to it we are getting requests on tour buses to stop-off so people can take pictures.

"It could be the start of something big."