Scotland Road in Liverpool, once lined with pubs on almost every corner, has undergone a dramatic transformation over the decades. Today, the road bears little resemblance to its former self, with only weather-worn signage and converted apartments marking the spots where pubs once stood.
Yesterday, the ECHO visited Scotland Road to document the changes. Esther Coffey, 81, who has lived on Hopwood Street for 70 years, recalled the area's bustling past: "We had everything along there. For instance on a Friday and Saturday, Scotland Road used to be like town, everyone was going in and out of the pubs. It was like a big night out, everyone was out on Scotland Road, the pubs were packed."
A Pub on Every Corner
At its peak, there were more than 15 pubs on Scotland Road and the surrounding streets. Today, the only reminders are their weather-worn signs and converted apartments. The Parrot pub on Hopwood Street now stands with a missing top floor, a safety net protecting the pavement from falling debris.
Esther added: "There was a pub on every corner." She also noted that some pub owners who took over premises were not able to run them properly.
Post-War Changes and Decline
A major shift occurred after a proportion of the area's "slum housing" was demolished and replaced by flats, with many families moving to new towns like Kirkby in the post-war period. The construction of the Kingsway Tunnel in 1974 also drastically changed the area, with the road being expanded and leading to clearance.
In the following decades, the population fell further due to housing changes, prompting more businesses to leave. Many former houses were also cleared for the Project Jennifer development between Scotland Road and Great Homer Street.
Memories of Working-Class Life
Brian McKenzie, 73, has lived on Hopwood Street since his parents moved from Maguire Street off Vauxhall Road when he was three. He recalled: "I used to work for the Ford Motor Company in Halewood, and we would work a mini-shift from five o'clock at night until nine and everyone would dash home and pack into the pubs. I used to go to all the pubs, playing pool, wining, getting drunk, because you worked all night. When you had loads of pubs here, it meant having somewhere for working class people, who had no money or were in poverty. The brewers came here and opened pubs."
Cinemas and Community Heart
Besides pubs, Scotland Road was once home to three cinemas: Gaiety Cinema, Electric Cinema, and the Derby Cinema. More than 65 years after The Derby closed, its exterior still remains. Since 2017, it has operated as an apart-hotel, The Picturehouse, under Michael James Kelly.
Carol O'Brien, The Picturehouse's manager, who spent her first couple of years in the area, said: "Scotland Road has always been the heart of Liverpool. All the true Scousers are from Scotty Road." She recalled telling her late dad about working there: "I'd go to my dad, 'I work for The Picturehouse.' He'd look at me, and I'd go, 'The Derby, Dad.' 'Ah, I used to go to The Derby, The Gaiety, The Homer, The Gem', and name all the picturehouses in the area."
Carol also understands the importance of pubs for the community: "Liverpool's always been known for there was a pub on every corner. But they've all gone. I think that's like the heart of the community. People like to [go to the pub], but it's so expensive these days. People just can't afford to go out."
