The square was reshaped in 2016 when bulldozers moved in to make way for apartments and new commercial units.
Connor O’Donovan owns a number of Wolstenholme Square venues(Image: Carolyn Hughes)
Tucked away off Seel Street, Wolstenholme Square was at the heart of Liverpool’s nightlife for decades. Once home to Nation, the legendary home of Cream, and the Kazimier, one of the city’s most creative spaces, the square was reshaped in 2016 when bulldozers moved in to make way for apartments and new commercial units.
Today, the area is at a crossroads: half steeped in memory, half searching for its new identity. To understand where the square has been and where it might be going, you need to listen to the voices of those who lived it and those who are shaping its next chapter.
‘Clubland heaven’
For Liam Naughton, director of the Kazimier Club which ran in Wolstenholme Square from 2009 until 2016, the square was a magical collision of music, nightlife and creativity.
He told the ECHO: “That spot in town, the square, was particularly special. In the ecosystem at the time, being next to Cream and Pleasure Rooms, there were quite a lot of DIY music venues.
“Also, around that time, there were some cool changes to the food and beverage scene as well. Cool independent bars were trying new concepts.
“I just think the era was different to now. Music was a bit more booming, people were going to gigs, there were a lot of musicians doing stuff.
READ MORE: City centre square that was home to iconic Liverpool nightclubs
“Rent was relatively cheap and that gave you the sense you could try stuff out. Places like Leeds and Manchester were becoming gentrified and it felt like Liverpool, on the eve of Capital of Culture, was still somewhere you could do stuff in the city centre, in a DIY fashion – and a bit punk.
“I think it was the spirit of the times which made that quite cool. The Kazimier was a cool room and a big community of people made that great. It was a magical time, that early era, and I miss it.”
Speaking about what he can remember from the Kazimier’s best nights, he said: “I see people eagerly waiting to get into the club. I see a lot of extravagant costumes. I see people finishing their can of beer and trying to stash it in a bin.”
The Kazimier in Wolstenholme Square
Liam added: “When Cream had a night on as well, and these crowds interacted, it was great to see the contrast of the slightly alternative crowd with loads of people dressed in neon. For me, that was clubland heaven. There was just a sense of something really cool happening in that area.
“I do think Liverpool lost something with all of that; Cream just closing down and not making a new one, we lost a great nightclub. They were nothing to do with us either, they were just cool neighbours.”
From bulldozers to apartments
In 2016, the Kazimier closed to make way for Elliot Group’s £40m redevelopment of the square. Hundreds of apartments and new commercial units were built, dramatically altering the square’s feel.
For Liam, the changes were painful. He said: “It’s quite an emotional subject because we had to close the venue to make way for the development.
“I really wish the development didn’t happen. I get that city centres need to move on and buildings need to be brought into the modern era but I think you could have done something really interesting with what was already there.
“The businesses there were vibrant, independent businesses which brought a lot of people there. You’ve now got people living in what is fundamentally a vibrant area and it doesn’t mix.
“We get noise complaints from the Kazimier Garden. These apartments don’t really integrate that well with the spirit of that area.
“I’ve got nothing against the bars in the square, but it seems like it’s been pretty vacant for a long time. It leaves you wondering what the point of more apartments was, for the city of Liverpool. Could they have been elsewhere?
“I think it would be better if it was more vibrant there.”
He continued: “I think the square itself is really beautiful. I think Penelope (the sculpture of a series of multicoloured stalks standing 10 metres high and topped by bright, circular orbs, in the centre of the square) is just so cool, and the brick buildings – the more historical stuff. There’s still something really cool about that zone – I just think there’s not enough going on there.
Penelope sculpture in Wolstenholme Square, Liverpool city centre(Image: Photo by Colin Lane)
“I wonder if it would be better if they had tables and chairs in the square. Should it be a bit more café culture?
“Also, maybe they should put pop-ups in the units being left empty, which are doing some cool stuff. If they can’t convince businesses to pay the rent, then maybe just liberate the units to more cultural stuff.”
A new generation of operators
Conor O’Donovan, owner of the Sefton Collection, which operates several establishments in the square, represents a different perspective. He runs Dicey Reilly’s, Clubhouse, Baby Clubhouse and the Ropewalks Hotel, and is preparing to launch Penelope’s next March.
He’s lived in Liverpool for 23 years, and his first memory of the square goes back even further: “Probably going to Medication in the year 2000. I had a cousin who was in university here at the time and I came over. That was my very first encounter with the square. It was Halloween and we had a fantastic time.”
Dicey Reillys can be found in Wolstenholme Square
He accepts that change was inevitable, explaining: “The big catalyst was redevelopments around the city centre such as Liverpool ONE and things like the East Village off Duke Street and student accommodations, so it was natural, at some point, that things were going to evolve.
“The way people partied changed and the way people clubbed changed. You had this fantastic nightclub in Nation, but it was in such a big site that it was inevitable it’d get redeveloped. The square started to get redeveloped in 2016.”
For him, the location is still a huge draw. He said: “The proximity to everything in the city centre. The more venues that are in a place, the more footfall you get. We’d love to see a few more independent traders come into the square as well, so we can create a real hub – somewhere in the city centre where people want to go, which offers a good selection of food and drink venues, and at the same time is just that little bit tucked away and mellow.
“Concert Square is great but it’s certainly not mellow. It’s about having a chilled out vibe and a cluster of venues which people can come to.”
One thing he feels strongly about is the sculpture, Penelope. He said: “Probably, the biggest challenge is Penelope. It’s absolutely fantastic – there’s no question about that – but it’s been neglected over the years. It’s a shame to see it go the way it’s gone. It would be great if, at the very least, it was tidied up, just so it looks smart again.
“We also want to be true to the heritage of the square and we’re looking at ways we can do that.”
Looking forward, Conor believes more food would help cement Wolstenholme Square as a destination. “I think it’d be great to see more food traders.”