A shop which could kickstart a ‘new era’ for a Liverpool shopping centre has issued an update on when it will open. Cavern Walks in Liverpool city centre opened as a lucky development back in 1994 with hanging plants, candy-pink lamp posts, and the wall-climber lift linking two shopping levels and became a favourite of local celebrities such as Coleen Rooney and Alex Gerrard.

It’s built on the site of the old Cavern Club and there is a statue inside of The Beatles. At one time, the building was home to high-end brands such as Cricket and Vivienne Westwood.

But several units have closed there in recent years and the upper level has been shut off completely. Those that are still trading have previously told the ECHO that a combination of increasing competition from Liverpool ONE and the covid lockdown were the reasons behind the shopping centre’s downfall in fortunes.

The shopping centre was bought by JSM and Greenwood Developments in 2022, with the former saying that a new hotel on the upper level will be opening its doors in 2026.

It’s hoped that new shops, including Mathew Street Records, could herald a change in fortunes. The owners, Peter Wilson and Tom Waite, have been running pop-up record fairs under the brand Britannia Record Fairs for several years.

Mathew Street Records will also host live music performances and album launches. It was due to open last Saturday (October 11) but this has been pushed back. In a post on its Instagram page last week, the shop said it would now be opening its doors this Saturday (October 18) instead.

The statement said: “Due to the WiFi installation being delayed, we need to wait till the 18th to open! It’s a weeks more wait but it’s going to be fantastic! We have some amazing stuff for the opening. Next Saturday we will open our doors for the very first time.”

The record store will be connected to a new café, The Library Coffee House, which will open on the same day.

Despite the recent struggles at Cavern Walks, the business is optimistic about what the future holds, saying: “They said Cavern Walks had gone quiet. They said it had seen its day. Not anymore.

“A revival is underway and it’s happening from the inside out. Shops are coming alive again, new faces are moving in and the energy is changing.

“The team at JSM, who own the building, have done wonders and with a Beatles-themed hotel now planned above us, Mathew Street is about to write its next great chapter.

“We’ll be hosting live performances, album launches, book signings, artist talks, and intimate events that celebrate the stories behind the music.

“This space will grow, evolve, and hopefully become one of those ‘you had to be there’ places that people talk about years from now.”

A statement from JSM about Cavern Walks earlier this year said: “Since JSM acquired Cavern Walks, we’ve always had big plans for it and now plans are finalised; work will start on a 157-bed hotel above the shopping centre in the next few weeks.

“New tenants are moving in also – among them a new record shop. The footfall from the hotel and the newly opened units will benefit everyone and really take Cavern Walks into a new era.”

A statement from JSM about Cavern Walks earlier this year said: “Since JSM acquired Cavern Walks, we’ve always had big plans for it and now plans are finalised; work will start on a 157-bed hotel above the shopping centre in the next few weeks.

“New tenants are moving in also – among them a new record shop. The footfall from the hotel and the newly opened units will benefit everyone and really take Cavern Walks into a new era.”