Sefton Park's perimeter is home to a cluster of independent food traders operating from tiny vans and trailers, run by just one or two people with limited budgets. These businesses have become beloved Liverpool staples, with customers travelling miles across the region to visit them. From coffee and pizza to sandwiches and baked goods, the park offers a diverse culinary scene without the need to book a table or travel into the city centre.
Frankley's Bakery: Fresh Bakes from a Mobile Trailer
The team behind The Watering Can café-bistro recently launched Frankley’s Bakery, a new in-house bakery operation backed by an investment of over £100,000. Operating from a dedicated production facility inside sister venue The Wheelbarrow on Greenbank Lane, fresh bakery products are available from a mobile trailer positioned near the boating lake at Sefton Park. The bakery began operations just over a month ago and has already attracted a loyal customer base.
Company director Keith Perryman told the ECHO: "We set up around the park for exposure because, although small at the moment, we plan to grow a lot. Having a trailer offers more diversity than The Wheelbarrow in the sense of seasonal bakes and products alongside great coffee." Sourdough and bloomer are the trailer's biggest sellers, with plans to expand the menu as awareness grows. Keith added: "The response has been really good. Loads of customers saw us on TikTok first and decided to come down after seeing where we are. We've had people travelling from a little bit of everywhere."
Operating only on weekends, the trailer has seen strong demand for its sausage rolls and sourdough. Keith noted: "Our location is amazing. The council has granted licenses for only a small number of businesses around the park, including some that specialise in coffee, so we're in really great company."
West Coast Coffee: From Cart to City Centre
West Coast Coffee, spearheaded by business partners and couple Luke Whiteside and Jessica Eley, has been a staple at Sefton Park for nearly five years. The couple's journey began over a decade ago after a trip to Australia, where they immersed themselves in the local coffee scene, living there for five years and in New Zealand for two, honing their skills as baristas and managers. Covid regulations forced them to relocate back to the United Kingdom, but they brought their passion for Australian-style coffee with them.
Luke previously told the ECHO: "There are loads of cool coffee carts in Australia and we didn't see one when we came back here so we thought why not do it." Jessica added: "We've seen it in London so why not do it in Liverpool?" The couple admitted they are still "surprised" that customers take the time to visit, but regulars and friends hail it as one of the best coffee businesses in Liverpool.
After years of serving Sefton Park from a cart located opposite Aigburth Drive, West Coast Coffee has finally moved into a permanent location in Liverpool city centre. The new site opened on June 3 on Bold Place, next to the Bombed Out Church. Luke said: "We just wanted to bring it here in Liverpool and especially Lark Lane because the area is starting to become about speciality coffees so we wanted to be like a part of that." Jessica added: "We wanted to do something that was a bit different. So when we first started it we asked, 'Do we open a shop or do we try and do things a little bit differently,' so that's where the coffee cart idea came from."
Scotta Bocca: Pizza from a 1979 French Butcher's Van
Scotta Bocca, an olive green trailer near the Croxteth Drive area of Sefton Park, offers aromas of cheese, tomato and freshly baked pizza dough. Ben Gray came up with the idea after working in kitchens and wanting to call something his own. He told the ECHO: "The original idea for the trailer was really about doing something more fun and mobile. I wanted to take food to festivals and events rather than being tied to one location."
In 2021, Ben found a Peugeot J7 van online through a contact in France, which started life in 1979 as a French butcher's van. The van cost around £7,000, with additional costs for preparation tools and equipment. After months of work, Scotta Bocca officially opened in February 2022. Ben recalled: "Things were fairly quiet at the start but it was about getting your name out there. The colder months can be tricky because there are fewer people out and about. We tend to be busier in the evenings so open later. Summer is completely different. During a heatwave, the fields are packed with people so there's a big contrast."
With four years of operations, Ben has only recently been able to hire proper staff, moving from relying on friends and family. He said: "Up until recently, I mainly relied on friends and family to help out at bigger events. This year we've brought in a few staff members to help us in the park, particularly during the busier evenings." While the idea of opening a restaurant is "tempting", Ben values the flexibility of the van: "Having a permanent location is always attractive, but at the same time I really value the flexibility that comes with the van and being able to do different events. If things keep going well, we'll see what happens in the future."
Sando: Sandwiches with Japanese Milk Bread
Sando, led by Aigburth man Adam Brice after his travels around the world, opened its sandwich cart on April 1. The main offering is sandwiches made with homemade Japanese milk bread (shokupan), with fillings including crispy chicken schnitzel and a chimichurri cheese ribeye steak inspired by his travels to Germany as a child. Adam noted that running a converted cart instead of a physical location comes with significant advantages: "Street trading [having a converted cart] is probably one of the lowest risk entry points to hospitality you can have. If you're opening in a physical cafe or shop you're probably four or five times more financially involved than you are with a food trailer."
