Baltic Triangle Area Manifesto 2019

manifestoBaltic Triangle Area CIC Vision Manifesto

Baltic Triangle Area CIC – the ‘area company’,
as we’re known – advocates on behalf of
Baltic’s stakeholders – its tenants, residents
and customers. That includes everything
from lobbying the city council and central
government for road improvements and train
stations, to creating opportunities for people
to meet, network and join in.
Welcome

We do things like facilitate the creation of the
area’s public art, and break out from the daily
ebb and flow of the Baltic Triangle to represent
the long-term strategic interests of the area.
To serve the creative and digital economy by
matching its growth ambitions, and reflect
the city’s desire to build our visitor economy,
based on the quality of the experiences that
people have while they’re here.
Baltic Triangle is a collection of many different
businesses, people, opinions, interests and
views. We know that we can’t speak for all of
the people, all of the time, so ours is a mission
for the common good. It is accessible and
inclusive: our stakeholders are the people that
come to the events that we run, that engage
with us; that talk to us and tell us what they
want and need.
And our directors represent many of the
interests that collide in Baltic Triangle: our
venues, education, the public sector, digital,
art and culture and property. We’re the first
point of contact, working with the area’s
residents and revellers to focus on longer-
term interests – to make sure people can
cross the road safely, that we have a fair mix
of land use; that the reopening of our train
station stays on the agenda. That people can
start new businesses and run events here, and
continue the tradition of bold action that has
helped Baltic make national headlines for all
of the right reasons: for its creativity, ‘cool’
and the opportunities it creates.
And there are a variety of ways to get involved,
from our evening Schmooze networking event,
to Baltic Breakfasts and our annual event.
That’s our opportunity to review and take
stock: reflect on what’s happened, and look
ahead to the horizon.
We have two of the city’s best schools – the
third best non-faith school in Liverpool (and
best UTC in the country), and the best place
to study art. New shops, bars and restaurants
pop-up all the time, bringing curious customers.
And new businesses still see Baltic as the place
they want to be. Collaborative, creative and
pioneering; welcoming and entrepreneurial.
So the next few years will see us working more
closely with the city council, and focusing on
the continued growth of the area, which we
gauge in terms of visitor numbers (3,000,000
last year); completed developments and
businesses opening. Our recent successes
include the expansion of the Triangle past
Parliament Street and the reopening of the
Cains site, which had lain derelict for nearly
a decade; an increase in people living and
working here, and the area’s broader growth.
The city – and region – are seeing the fruits
of the value we add, both economically and
culturally. It remains a challenge to keep a
healthy balance of all of these things. And,
as the area grows, we’ll have to work harder
to encourage people to work collaboratively,
which has played a huge part in the area’s
success so far. But we have a healthy mix.
But there is always more to do and we’re
determined to overcome new challenges as the
area grows. We’ll be working to improve the
public realm; encouraging more space to sit,
meet and eat. There is a lack of some simple
services that people expect, including a deficit
in cafés, shops, signage and green space.
We want people to head our way with good
ideas, or fledgling businesses; we want people
to have fun here and be safe; and we want
people far beyond Liverpool to recognise
the Baltic Triangle’s name, as Rough Guides,
Wallpaper and Vice are telling them to.
We want you to join in.
Come and see for yourself.
Liam Kelly,
Chair, Baltic Triangle Area CIC

It’s been six years since the first Baltic
Triangle Area Manifesto. A self-
confessed ‘bonfire of old-school
regeneration mantras; a celebration
of everything marginal, curious
and inspired; a private sector-led,
bottom-up, grassroots networking,
matchmaking and freewheelin’
revolutionary manifesto for change,’ it
set out its stall in bold, anarchic style.
It was the rallying cry to pull together
a diverse, fast-changing area of town,
with a diverse, varied group of people.
And while some things remain the
same, many things have changed. Well,
evolved. We’ve grown. Physically. And
grown up a bit. You can do more stuff
here now. People head for the Baltic
Triangle when they’re here for the
weekend. They come here to work,
live, eat, dance and play golf in a
fluorescent maze.
It’s still private sector-led, collaborative
and creative; radical, curious and
inspiring. Things still freewheel. But now,
around 4,000 creative entrepreneurs
and businesses work in an area where
previously there were very few. And, in
2016 a government report anointed the
Baltic Triangle in the top five fastest-
growing creative and digital clusters
outside London.
Yet the values that gave birth to the
salty Baltic Triangle spirit remain strong.
Creative, industrious and pioneering;
bohemian, alternative and radical.
Look how far we’ve come.
intro

01
02
03
Underwrite Liverpool’s
reputation as a modern,
progressive global city
Foster a ‘can do’ community
Our parents are ingenuity
and frugality
04
Cherish what we have
05
Utilise 600,000 square feet of
flexible space
06
Add flexible and dynamic ideas
that could only happen in the
Baltic Triangle; do something
that will broadcast our bold
intentions
07
Move from pop-up to
permanent
08
Support our workers
09
Encourage independent retail;
markets, vintage, thrift, low
cost and high fashion
Creative,
industrious,
pioneering

Nurture a transport plan
that is green, yellow, exotic
and practical
Bring knowledge; create
opportunities. Share learning
and innovate
10
Harbour more music;
written, rehearsed,
recorded, performed
11
Be known as a place with warm
hospitality; flophouses, hostels,
eateries, saloons, bedrooms,
taprooms
12
Be a festival zone: pop-up
theatre, silent cinema, gigs,
festivals, exhibitionism, new
music seminars and Liverpool
fringe events spill over from the
waterfront and city centre
13
Support urbanism, urban
leisure, urban community
14
15
16
Amplify the creative and digital
economy, from start-up to
scale-up
17
Help shape the experience of
living here
18
And new things will still happen
all the time

JamaicaStreet,LiverpoolEmmaJones

01
Our
parents
are
ingenuity
and
frugality.

The Baltic Triangle’s renaissance has seen the
area thrive over recent years, with an influx
of new restaurant, bar and business concepts
taking over. But, the beauty of the area lies
in its industrial past — the buildings in the
Baltic Triangle have weathered the sea air for
over 100 years, as the heartland of Liverpool
industry. The warehouses, breweries, canning
factories and looming redbrick buildings make
the Baltic, and new residents to the area simply
weave in and out of the history of the place;
taking up residencies in some of the Baltic’s
more weird and wonderful spaces.
Nestled inside a disused security hut at the
entrance to Cains Brewery Village is Kiosk, a
building which otherwise would have been
scrapped. Thanks to the team’s creativity, the
space has worn many hats, including an Italian
summer retreat, a winter ski lodge and a surf shack.
“Kiosk’s latest guise has switched from an
alcohol-led focus to something more food/ shop
related, to fill demand now that so many bars
have opened in the area. With Kiosk we are able
to constantly reinvent ourselves,” says founder,
Conor Foley.
“Kiosk is a unique one-off location inside an
abandonedsecurityhut.Thearealetuskeephold
of it, and use our creative license — although we
do still get asked to charge for parking…”
Kiosk was started by three friends, each hailing
from a background in the hospitality industries,
two of whom were instrumental in creating the
Baltic’s coveted Botanical Garden.
“Cains was basically derelict when we moved in,
apart from two other venues. I don’t even think
the owners envisaged such a change within its
gates,” says Foley. “It really did snowball out of
independent businesses and creativity.”
Right now, it’s serving up coffee and doughnuts,
but a true chameleon of the Baltic Triangle,
the security hut grows to fit the needs of the
thriving creative community around it; who
knows what will it be next week, month, or
year? Armed with a creative license, an alcohol
license, and a truly unique venue, it’s guise
changes with the seasons.
A real vibrancy
“When we came to see the space, it was a mess
— it was a building site with puddles all over
the floor, but we thought: ‘this is the one!’” says
Connor Sheehan, owner of Xiringuito — award-
winning pop-up restaurant, and one-time
resident of the Baltic’s Northern Lights building.
“We’d finished a residency in Margate with
Xiringuito, and we were looking for a space which
would parallel the area’s vibrant arts scene —
and decided it had to be the Baltic Triangle.
“We’d looked into Manchester, explored
Liverpool’s North Docks, and were even
taken on a tour of the Wirral. But, when we
stepped out of the car on Jamaica Street, and
walked through the Baltic Triangle towards the
Northern Lights site, we just knew this was the
place for us,” says Sheehan. “There was a real
vibrancy about the place – even on a rainy
Tuesday afternoon…”
Wanting to create a pop-up restaurant which
could be transported seasonally throughout
the year, Sheehan and co-founder Jackson
Berg, spoke to a team of architects which could
create a unique structure for the site.
“We came up with the design of Xiringuito,
which is essentially a scaffold A frame that can
be organised into different set ups. One is a C
shape, which you can walk through from end to
end; one has a zig-zag in the middle, and the one
we had in Baltic was a wigwam-esque shape.
“The great thing about our set up is that the
frame uses minimal materials; and wherever we
go, we know that there will be a scaff team who
can erect it, so each of our residencies belongs
to the people and place that we are in.”
Lucy Chesters

Thesecurityhut,LiverpoolEmmaJones

Foster
a ‘can do’
community.

02
“So, I set up the Baltic Growing Group in
partnership with Blue-Green Liverpool. It was
designed to encourage Baltic Creative and
Northern Lights tenants, and members of the
Baltic Triangle, to come along and help do
some planting in Baltic Creative’s two planters,
adjacent to Jamaica Street. There are even
apples on the apple tree we planted now.
“We wanted to get people out of the office
to do something hands-on, and enjoy some
fresh air on their lunch break, whilst helping
beautify and improve their immediate work
surroundings. Gardening has a relaxing
quality and has been known to have calming
effects on mental health. The Baltic Triangle
is full of businesses of all sizes and the work
environment is often fast-paced — our Growing
Group offered people an hour to escape and do
something productive, whilst meeting fellow
neighbours and businesses.”
- Alison James, Baltic Growing Group
Eat
your
greens
Lucy Chesters
Emma Jones
“Liverpool’s litter problem is extensive and the
Baltic is no exception. With all the businesses
and bars that now call the Baltic their home,
comes all their waste and litter. The Baltic
Triangle has grown into the heart of Liverpool’s
creative and digital hub faster than anyone
could have expected over the last decade and
the waste disposal systems in the area weren’t
(and still aren’t) able to cope with the waste
of the vibrant community that’s settled here —
which is why I started The Big Baltic Clean-up.
‘Through the clean-ups we can make sure that
this vibrant, creative area stays clean, whilst
getting to know the Baltic Community at the
same time. Even if you only spend five minutes
picking up five pieces of litter, every little helps.
The Big Baltic Clean-up is a great way for you
to make a difference in the Baltic whether you
work, live or just love the area.”
- Emily Cotter, Innovate Her
Baltic clean up

* Transformation of Baltic Market Miles Pearson

Underwrite
Liverpool’s
reputation
as a
modern,
progressive
global city.
03

The Baltic Triangle isn't “important
to the city's economy”, it is important
to the residents of Liverpool and to the
personality of Merseyside. The Baltic
Triangle represents the best aspects of
Liverpool’s character: rough around the
edges, resourceful and a lot of fun.
VICE "
"
Andrew Beattie
Russell Gannon

The über-arty
Baltic Triangle, the
apogee of this organic
after-dark and the
blossoming home of
Liverpool’s creative
and digital media
scene. Intimate, bare-
brick gin and whiskey
joints, craft beer and
killer cocktails await.
ROUGH GUIDES
FionaShaw
"
"

After a glance at Open Eye
— just one gallery in a city
collection that is arguably
the most impressive in the
UK outside the capital — it’s
a 15 minute stroll to Camp
and Furnace in the Baltic
Triangle; still rough around
the edges, but all the more
fascinating for it.
"WALLPAPER
"

Framed by the Mersey
and the Anglican
Cathedral it feels like
the Baltic Triangle is
metaphorically dragging
itself from the depths
and reaching for divine
inspiration. But that’s a
little overstated. As the
collective voice states
on the ‘about’ section of
the community website,
‘That’s us… Quietly, under
the radar, justgettingon
withourstuff.’
PORT MAGAZINE
“
“

artists, brewers, musicians,
designers, fashionistas,
welders, bakers, galleries,
engineers, skaters,
printers, cabaret, biennials,
afternoon tea and
night-time thrill seekers.
04
Cherish
what we
have:

TheriverMerseylapsattheplot’swesternedge,
some 500 metres from where it crawls now,
in the low autumn sunshine... When RS Clare
moved to this southern edge of what’s now
the Baltic Triangle, in 1770, it was far beyond
the city centre, chosen for its distance from the
bustling commercial centre. In the heat of the
Industrial Revolution distance was vital to the
turpentine distiller, its pungent chemical brew
casting a cloud over disapproving neighbours.
The oldest manufacturer on Merseyside,
Clares began life in 1748 distilling turpentine
on Lord Street. It moved on from turpentine to
tar, and now focuses exclusively on industrial
lubricants for the rail, oil and gas industries.
But in spite of a heritage stretching back longer
than the meandering Mersey on its doorstep,
the business is comparatively unknown in the
city. “60% of our business’ turnover is export -
we export to 50 different countries, so do very
little work on Merseyside,” says chairman Ian
Meadows. “But we still plough £8 million every
year into the local economy, and employ 80
people on this site (with 100 more in London).
“We employ a lot of local people, and we have a
responsibilitytothemtomakeitviableasanarea
— the more cafés and shops and other people
there are here, the better it is for our employees.
We want to continue to see that grow. But our
car park is full — because people drive here. It
would make such a difference to see the station
reopened at St James, on the junction at the top
here. But it needs a catalyst like the St James in
the City development project to turn it into a
reality. It needs critical mass.”
RS Clare has seen fortunes in this part of the
city ebb and flow. Forty years ago, Meadows
was the president of the Parliament Street
Industrialist’s Association (PSIA) — the
geographical predecessor of the Baltic Triangle.
“Our area then was not dissimilar at all to the
Triangle now,” he says. “From Heap’s Rice Mill
to Mill Street, and Higson’s to the Dock Road,
the area was full of manufacturers and timber
merchants. The PSIA was started up to reduce
crime, which was endemic in the area; we
reduced it by 72%.
“Our social responsibility is very important,”
says Meadows. “In the 1980s it wasn’t very
salubrious around here, but we couldn’t get
out, so we had to make the most of it. In the
last five years we’ve spent £1.5 million on a
new grease plant, and three or four times
that on a new laboratory and offices. We’ve
been involved here since the beginning —
and now they’ve all come and joined us! But
I’m delighted to see that other people have
taken that on; the digital and creative focus
complements the traditional manufacturing
sector. It’s important that we stay at the
forefront of what we do. It’s vital that we’re
modern and tech-led.”
Baltic has been home now for almost 250
years; RS Clare has survived and prospered,
and continues to play a role in sharing that
success with the community. Celebrating the
250th anniversary of its founding in 1998,
the company raised £45,000 to help would-
be entrepreneurs get into business, working
alongside the Sirolli Foundation to focus on
grassroots business. In 2014 the business made
a decision to invest 0.5% of its pre-tax profits
every year back into the local community,
working both with entrepreneurs, and a
community-based Old People’s Club.
As the old Parliament Street Industrial Area has
morphed into the Baltic Triangle, Meadows
says: “While you can often see these things as
cyclical, we do feel responsible for the area —
and certainly for the people that work here. The
Baltic Triangle has created some real momentum
— it’s good to see that it has kept growing, while
other development has slowed down.”
Fiona Shaw

05
With 600,000 square feet of unoccupied commercial space, the Triangle has
had space to play with. Those sheds, warehouses and security huts have
become offices, gallery space, flats... and bars, pubs, cafés and restaurants.
It’s fair to say that Baltic has had a significant impact on the city’s food scene.

Utilise
600,000
square feet of
flexible space.

Uncorked Jack
Foxlight Creative
Baltic Bakehouse
Tangent
Love Lane BreweryBaltic Bakehouse
Baltic Market Baltic Market

Add
flexible and
dynamic ideas
that could only
happen in the
Baltic Triangle.
06
PeteCarr

Launched on the 27 November 2014, the
McKeown Rice Exhibition space is in memory
of Baltic Creative CIC founder members, Claire
McKeown and Paul Rice.
A collaboration between Baltic Triangle-based
Castle Fine Arts, who designed and curate the
space, and Baltic Creative who built, manage
and maintain it, the plinth was designed by
Castle Fine Arts’ architect Cintia Prieto.
“Mark Lawler approached us about the idea of
creating an outdoor exhibition space to make
better use of the corner and bring public art
to the neighbourhood,” says Chris Butler of
Castle Fine Arts.
“It was a symbol of how far Baltic Creative
had come, as it prepared to celebrate its fifth
birthday, and a chance for us to showcase
some of the sculpture we make right on our
doorstep. We agreed to design and curate the
space with a new sculpture shown every six
months. I’m trying to find work that reflects
what we’re doing here.
“The idea was to create a neutral canvas; a
backdrop for viewing the sculptures elevated on
the plinth, which is a solid concrete foundation
framed by a textured metal screen. Public
sculpture forms a focal point. By incorporating
seating into the design, the outdoor exhibition
space becomes the place where the people
can rest, think, meet, interact. The nature
of temporary exhibitions requires a flexible
space. The corner could exhibit sculptures or
even be transformed as a stage for an artistic
performance.”
Between 2014 and the time of writing, the
space has housed eight pieces, designed by
internationally renowned artists and created
at Castle Fine Arts.
“The guys over the road in the tyre shop have
become guardians of the plinth, which is nice
and always come out to chat to us when
we replace the pieces. We’ve only had good
feedback since it’s been there and people have
really taken care of the sculptures, and that’s a
good response, too.”
The plinth has become a recognised feature
of the Baltic Triangle and a regular lunch time
spot for tenants at Baltic Creative, or students
at the UTC and Studio School.
Works:
Winter 2014
Days of judgement
by Laura Ford
Summer 2015
Black Swan
by Kenny Hunter
Winter 2015
Lying,Reading&SittingFigures
by Carol Peace
Summer 2016
Lady Hare Holding Dog
by Sophie Ryder

Winter 2016
The Greatest
by Andrew Edwards
Summer 2017
The Waiting
by Anna Gillespie
Winter 2017
Dipodiddy
by Brian Fell
Spring 2019
Staffordshire Saxon
by Andrew Edwards
Andrew Beattie

* The Waiting by Anna Gillespie
The McKeown Rice Exhibition space

Northern
Lights
Box
Fiona Shaw

Jason Hollis’s vibrant mural on the new Baltic Creative
CIC scheme Northern Lights is the city’s largest street
art canvas, and rapidly made it the easiest building to
spot in the Baltic Triangle. Creating an eye-catching
contrast with Cains’ ‘terracotta palace’, its northern
lights-inspired geometric shapes and angular roofline
are one of the Triangle’s most identifiable sights.
“My artwork emerged from my attraction to the
geometric shapes within rocks, crystals and miner-
als, and the lines that appear throughout my work
represent the light refraction embodied within these
objects,” says artist Jason. “Symmetry plays a huge
role in my work. I find it fascinating that, as humans,
we’re extremely captivated by such a thing, and I
enjoy challenging this notion by taking the beauty of
asymmetrical shapes created by the crystal formations
and combining them with paradoxical constructions,
while keeping order throughout each piece.”
PeteCarr

MannStreet,Liverpool.Hinterlands

07
From pop-up to
permanent.
Tucked on the edge of Greenland Street, Camp
and Furnace is one of the biggest venues
in the Baltic Triangle — and one of its first
landmarks, bringing reams of revellers to the
heart of the Triangle. A cultural hub that has
evolved from Edwardian beginnings to a new
age of entertainment and event production,
it’s reinvented itself as an eatery, bar, indoor
festival site, photography studio and pop-up
event space. Much like the Baltic Triangle, its
evolution is one with creativity at its core.
With ‘ordinary’ consigned to the past, the venue
prides itself on an ability to adapt daily to deliver
some of the most diverse events in the city,
bringing experiential nights to the many — not
the few. As home of the infamous Bongo’s Bingo,
it’s seen it travel — from its Baltic birthplace
— across the corners of the UK, as well as to
Amsterdam, Ibiza, Paris, Dubai and Australia.
Camp and Furnace has maintained its
innovative reputation, persuading the masses
to venture outside the city centre and enter a
unique style of venue. Jen Howden spoke with
Sam Hinde, communications manager at Camp
and Furnace, about his love for the area and
how its industrious spirit has enabled Camp
and Furnace to expand and grow...
Five minutes
with Camp
and Furnace

.
What does it mean to you to be part of the Baltic Triangle?
Being in the Baltic means being part of a community with the space and skills to innovate. It’s a
whole neighbourhood of open doors and chats over the fence... Rolling out ideas, trying things
out on each other with each other; sometimes failing — often succeeding. But having the time,
space and support to invent with diverse ideas, experience and, above all else, imagination.
How has the Baltic Triangle helped you and your business?
We simply wouldn’t exist without the Baltic Triangle... there are few places that can offer the
kind of spaces we have here. And there are even fewer communities equipped with the ideas and
skills to create events of scale and imagination that can bring the space to life.
What would you like to see happen in the future in the Baltic Triangle?
The working, living and visiting population has grown dramatically in a short time. This naturally
puts an increasing strain on environment, transport and infrastructure. We, as a community,
need to stay ahead of issues surrounding transportation and security, and the basic maintenance
of the public areas around the Baltic.
What excites you about being part of the Baltic Triangle?
Potential. The Baltic has come a long way in the past six years, not including the impressive
historical roots that ultimately began it all, and has successfully remained a prominent figure in
the creative industry of Liverpool. We believe in development and renewal; things don’t stand
still and what has been successful doesn’t necessarily remain so. It’s always about evolution
and adaptation. We’ve built a great eco-system in the Baltic Triangle, but it’s more than that —
many of the businesses and brands developing here are becoming national entities. The city and
region come here for ideas, spaces to work and places to play. So we’re excited to see the Baltic
go beyond and become a national home for an independent creative industry.
Why did you choose to be in the Baltic Triangle?
The unique opportunities and spaces. The opportunity to work with creatives in developing our
spaces. And the daily opportunities to work with other spaces to create multi-venue events,
close streets and link the neighbourhood physically, socially and economically.
Jen Howden
Dan Kenyon

08
Support
our
workers:
welding, foundry,
mechanics, sheds,
bakery, joinery.
Flexible workplaces,
creative incubation,
drive-thru studios, study,
play, performance,
photography.
JoannaRose

Lucy Chesters
54 James Street
The gleaming glass of 54 James Street is one of
Baltic’s most striking buildings and is a flagship
facility for nurturing entrepreneurship. Since
opening its doors in 2011, it’s become one of
the area’s leading social enterprises, helping
establish over 1,000 new businesses, creating
over 2,000 new jobs, providing a home to
over 240 businesses. Much more than a high-
spec office and incubation centre, it’s become
a community full of life, nurturing a diversity
of people and enterprises; rich in intelligence,
debate and shared purpose.
Developed by award-winning social enterprise
The Women’s Organisation, 54 St James Street
is a leading international research hub around
women’s economic development, and the
largest facility of its kind in Europe. Its CIC
model sees the hire of meeting space, use
of the café, Siren, and attendance at events
contributing to support vulnerable women
and disadvantaged communities.
“The Women’s Organisation established our 54
St James Street facility as a hub to nurture new
and growing businesses. We are passionate
about supporting local entrepreneurial talent
and as such it’s essential to us that we’re part of
an area which provides the opportunities and
a platform for these businesses to collaborate
and flourish,” says Mountfort. “And where
better than in an area as pioneering as The
Baltic Triangle?
“As we look forward to the coming years, we
want to continue to collaborate with and
contribute to this growing community and
ensure that opportunities to support each
other continue.”
Collaboration is a strong theme across the
Baltic, with a variety of networks and events
to support workers and freelancers alongside
fledgling and more established businesses.
The Area CIC holds a range of stakeholder
events, where anyone who lives, works or is
interested in the Baltic Triangle is invited along
to catch-up with events, hear about local
developments, and contribute their thoughts,
time and ideas. Jo Mountfort is a business
advisor and programme manager at the
Women’s Organisation, and sits on the Baltic
Triangle Area CIC board.
“The Baltic Triangle is a rapidly developing
community and one which it’s incredibly
exciting to be a part of,” she says. “It’s a
community where businesses, students,
professionals and creatives come together to
work and play. Between us, we’re contributing
to something very special.
“Many of these groups are individuals or small
clusters, so we identified a need to create an
area platform which brings everyone together.
In response to this we set up Baltic Schmooze –
a quarterly networking event where everyone
is invited to come along, mingle and hear all
the latest from the area.
“Each event comes with its own unique
theme showcasing something, or somewhere,
different in the area. We’ve had events on
food, booze, education, music and much,
much more. Everyone has the chance to chat,
share, and be part of the community. We now
attract anywhere between 80 – 100 people to
each event and there’s always a welcoming
and relaxed vibe.
“As area stakeholders, we reflected on the
success of Baltic Schmooze and identified
a growing appetite for further networking
opportunities within the community. It was
suggested that a day-time offering could also
be beneficial: Breakfast Club was born. Same
principles as Schmooze, but in the morning
rather than evening. Offering both morning
and evening networking opportunities allows
us to cater to the growing variety of individuals
who now work, play and live in the area.”

</
InnovateHer
“Innovate Her exists to tackle the gender imbalance within the digital
and tech sector. We’re proud to have started the organisation within
the Baltic Triangle, which has a diverse and supportive community,
fullofforwardthinking,innovativeorganisationsthattrulycareabout
the work we do. We’re making sure that girls reap the success and
opportunitiesthattheBaltichastooffer;welaunchedherefiveyears
ago and have since established our own office here, we wouldn’t
want to be anywhere else.”
Chelsea Slater,
Innovate Her
<>Innovate
Her

/ 54 James Street
We’re passionate
about supporting local
entrepreneurial talent… It’s
essential to us that we’re part
of an area which provides the
opportunities and a platform
for these businesses to
collaborate and flourish.
Jo Mountfort,
The Women's Org
"
"

Encourage
independent
retail;
markets, vintage,
thrift, low cost
and high fashion.

Red
Brick
Vintage
Cains Brewery Village has been one of the
Liverpool success stories of the last few years,
from the completion of Northern Lights to
the opening of Baltic Market. However, none
of this would have been feasible had it not
been for the continued growth and success of
Red Brick Vintage. Formerly nestled inside the
main building of Cains Brewery (the ‘Terracotta
Palace’, the red bricks of which lend themselves
to Red Brick Vintage’s name) Red Brick Vintage
is a sprawling mass of kitsch curios, beautiful
antiques,forgottenrecordsandclassicfashions,
sold by myriad vendors and collectors.
Run by Deborah Steggel, Red Brick Vintage has
quickly become the premier location in the city
for lovers of all things vintage, but it’s more
than just a treasure-trove of forgotten items
and wonderful furniture – it’s a blossoming hub
of community spirit with a truly independent
punk ethos running through its veins.
“We were part of the original Eric’s crowd,”
says Deborah, surrounded by vintage fibreglass
statues of the Virgin Mary in her office at the back
of the labyrinthine building. “We all left and did
our own things, but all these years later we’ve all
come back. It’s misspent youth revisited.”
For Deborah this is more than just a place
for people to push their wares – it’s a multi-
faceted operation that demands time care and
affection. “We want to work with anyone and
everyone who wants to,” says Jan. “But people
without egos,” interjects Deborah. The two
have been generous in accommodating people
trying to get their dreams off the ground, or
those who just need a space to develop their
artistic and even culinary endeavours. “We’re
not greedy so we can choose our traders and
ensure that we only have reputable people
here offering quality goods and services.”
The recent move into the back ‘hangar’ of
the brewery has made Red Brick the de facto
location for independent traders in Liverpool,
sitting alongside the Grand Central crowd
which have moved in from the city centre. Red
brick also offers start-ups affordable space to
set-up shop.
Everyone who walks past says hello to Deborah
and she knows them all by name. “Everyone
who has ever left has come back,” she smiles.
One of these people is Natalie, who designs
bespoke repurposed caravans, and teaches
flamenco dancing. “I’ve known Deborah since
I was a teenager and what she’s doing here is
fantastic. It’s bringing everyone back together;
artists, dancers, traders – everyone.”
The mix of this ‘open to everyone’ attitude and
the punk ethos is core to Red Brick’s success.
“It’s independent, but properly independent.
It’s real, it’s not plastic punk – people can
smell bullshit a mile off,” she smiles.
09
Jack Atkins
Emma Jones

Homegrown
musicians, artists,
poets and dancers
congregate within
the warehouses of
Liverpool’s Baltic
Triangle
- The Guardian
“The evolution of Threshold Festival has
been synonymous with the development
of the Baltic Triangle. From
our first annual event here
in 2011 — when the area
was little more than a small
collection of likeminded
creative individuals and
organisations—to2019,when
ithasbecomeaninternational
destinationforinnovationand
a playground for the arts and
music. We have been nurtured
by the area and in turn have
contributedtoitsgrowthasan
open, inviting, experimental,
friendly and forward-thinking
community.”
- Kaya Herstad Carney;
Threshold Festival
“A dizzying atmosphere,
with an eclectic mix of pop-
up installations, live stages,
projections and ad hoc art
eventswaitingtobediscovered
around every corner.”
- The Skinny
Threshold Festival

“In 2018, Sound City, the UK’s leading independent festival and conference for new
music moved to the Baltic Triangle, after previous tenures in the Ropewalks and
Bramley Moore Docks areas of Liverpool. With Everton planning a new stadium
at our former site at Bramley Moore, it was the perfect opportunity to return to
showcasing emerging music in multiple venues.
“Baltic is the perfect place to do this — a thriving creative industries belt of games,
media, music, art start-ups and established companies, plus an unrivalled mix of
music venues ranging from 100 to 1,200 capacity spaces. The ideal place to spend
three days every year showcasing more than 300 artists from over 40 different
countries and across the UK, to an audience of 6,000 music lovers – including
2,000 music industry professionals from across the globe.
“Sound City contributes £2 million to the Liverpool economy every year. We’ve
generated £20 million of contracts signed for companies taking part in our
initiatives, since our inception in 2008. There’s nowhere in the UK where music
venues are in such close proximity to one another and which happily co-exist
alongside established and emerging creative industry start-ups, as the Baltic
Triangle. We’re proud to call the Baltic Triangle the home of Sound City and we
look forward to it continuing to flourish here over years to come.”
- Rebecca Ayres
Managing director, Sound City
Sound
City
JazaminSinclair

Melodic
Distraction
Based at 43 Jamaica Street the community radio
station and blog Melodic Distraction was founded
in November 2016 by two friends, Josh Aitman
and James Zaremba. Today, the station is run by
Josh, James, Tom and Nina, live music streaming
online seven nights every week, and reaching over
750,000 listeners in its first 18 months.
“James and I were friends from university,” Josh
tells us. “We wanted to run a party for our
mates and play the music we wanted to play
and it grew from there. We’d started blogging
in the last year of university, and ran events at
Constellations, where we worked. That grew
into us programming live music.”
In summer 2018 the group’s crowdfunding
campaign successfully raised more than £10,000
to move to a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-
week roster.
“Our ambition is to be a hub for music for
Liverpool and the north west. We want to
collaborate with people here and provide a
platform for anyone in the city to reach their
audiences and have an outlet to play music.
That’s our aim over the next two to three years.
“We also want to become an archive for the
city — whether that’s radio, video or written.
It doesn’t have to be from this base — we can
get out into the city and create live video or
live stream acts too. You get a different vibe
completely when a band is live. Whatever we
need to do to get them out there.
“The Baltic Triangle also has a fantastic core of
clubs pushing forward live music and cutting edge
electronic music. It’s a really interesting melting
pot of promoters, artists and venues. There is a
mentality that people want to put on something
exciting that’s different and thought provoking.
“It’s become a natural home for us and it’s really
useful for so many reasons. It’s a convenient
space to house a station with so many other
small independent businesses around us we can
feed off, collaborating with other businesses
— whether they’re tech companies, venues or
recording studios. They can all feed in when you
need support. That’s why the Baltic Triangle is
really strong as a creative hub.”
Andrew Beattie
Melodic Distraction

11
Be known as
a place of warm
hospitality.
Hospitality is not just about the quality of
our drinks. The Baltic newsletter goes out to
nearly 9,000 readers, keeping everyone up-
to-date with area activity. You can sign up
at www.baltictriangle.co.uk.

Why did you set up Coffee and Fandisha?
Keeley (McKenzie) and I wanted to bring
something new to Liverpool. My partner is
Ethiopian and I’m very much in touch with
Ethiopian culture. I’m passionate about coffee;
Keeley’s passionate about coffee. So we set up
Coffee and Fandisha. We’re coffee lovers and
love hanging out with coffee.
Why did you choose the Baltic Triangle as
your base?
It’s an untouched part of Liverpool. We felt that
itmetthevaluesofourbusiness,anindependent
business. The area itself is quite creative and
full of other independent businesses. We
wanted to be somewhere quite central, but not
as commercial as the city centre.
How important is hospitality to Coffee and
Fandisha?
Extremely! We’re both passionate and genuine
people. When a customer comes into the shop,
whether it’s their first visit or they’re a regular, we
want to invite them and make them feel welcome
— give them a unique hospitable experience.
How have your customers responded to
your style of Ethiopian hospitality?
In a really positive way. Some of our customers
know a lot about Ethiopian culture, some
don’t. Those who don’t are really intrigued. The
name Coffee and Fandisha itself is intriguing –
we’ve had a really good response. We’ve made
something that’s been happening for years,
really contemporary.
Has Coffee and Fandisha changed from
your initial ideas for the place?
In all honesty, I don’t think it has. From the
outset we said we were going to provide
somethingcomplimentarytoourcustomers
and that is the popcorn — ‘fandisha’ – and
we’ve done that. That’s how it would work
in a traditional Ethiopian ceremony; it’s
traditional to have popcorn with coffee.
We thought, why not give something back
to our customers?
Do you have plans to expand your
business?
We would love to open another Coffee and
Fandisha in a different part of Liverpool –
on the outskirts maybe, or in a completely
different city. London would be great.
Keeley lived in London for 12 years, I was in
London for a little bit, so if we were able to
open one there, we’d feel that we’d been
really successful. What we don’t want to
do is open another one just for the sake of
it. We want to remain true to the values of
the business.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell
us about Coffee and Fandisha’s story?
We’re not just business partners, we’ve
been friends for over 25 years. I think it
gives richness to the business because we
have an understanding of each other and
what we both want. We’re really true to
ourselves and we want to give something
new to the Liverpool coffee scene.
Coffee &
Fandisha
Jennifer Graham
Coffee & Fandisha
Jennifer Graham caught up with co-founder
Kimberley Sowah...

Be a festival zone;
pop-up theatre, silent
cinema, gigs, festivals,
exhibitionism, new music
seminars, Liverpool fringe
events – spillover
from the waterfront
and centre.
AntonioFranco

12
Pulling an audience from across the north west,
Binary binds the city’s digital district with the
ScienceParkandwidertech,creativeandbusiness
community. Designed to dovetail with the Baltic
Triangle’s tech vision, the idea was forged in
The Shed at Baltic Creative. Fifteen tenants met
to discuss hosting a series of digital-focused
events around gaming, mobile apps, web design,
and film and photography. It’s segued from its
two-day, 18-gathering format in year one, to a
boutique one-day, eight gathering event in year
three, featuring more than 300 attendees. We
caught up with Binary event producer Jan Carlyle.
“Binary was born out of the Baltic Triangle;
there was a community here wanting to do
something to celebrate the activity in the area,
especially in the digital and creative sector.
It celebrates the achievements within that
community and also the digital community
across Liverpool,” she says.
During the festival, studios open their offices
and workplaces to the attendees as part of the
gathering process. A keynote, crammed with
inspirational speakers, is followed by a shared
lunch in Baltic Market. In the afternoon there
are in-depth workshops, where guests can
learn something to take away with them. It’s
blazed a trail in three short years, creating a
platform in the city for augmented reality; for
VR; crowdfunding, crowdsourcing and particle
physics. Among many many other innovations.
“The first Binary festival in 2016 lasted a
couple of days; we soon realised that people
within the creative and digital industries — the
founders, the CEOs, the entrepreneurs — didn’t
have two days to take out of their schedule,
although some events were well attended. In
2018, we took Binary down to one day with
a social event in the evening, and found that
numbers and engagement went up.
“Binary wouldn’t exist without the Baltic
— the community came up with the idea,’
says Jan. ‘Baltic Creative CIC is the main
funder, supporter and driver, and a lot of the
businesses highlighted and promoted in the
workshops are Baltic businesses. Liverpool has
such an incredible amount of collaboration
and relationships are really open — with lots
of traction in terms of talking to each other
and a willingness to work together.
“Venues are what make the Baltic what it is,
as well as the businesses. Venues’ flexibility,
and their approach – plus their close proximity
to one another — make Baltic very special. It’s
also super accessible and the parking’s great.
Everything about the area makes it conducive
with the festival because of the amount of
venues available. We work across the city but
our density will always be in Baltic.”
Choose from Positive Vibrations, Laces Out and Threshold; pick
Liverpool Disco Festival, or the city’s returning flagship music
fezz, Sound City. Or there’s the one created for the innovators,
inventors, leaders, makers and creators. The one that’s designed
to showcase, inspire and support creativity and innovation,
encourage collaboration, foster entrepreneurship, retain and
boost new talent.
Fiona Shaw

Support
urbanism,
urban
leisure,
urban
community.
13

The initial strategy was simple: fill the
area with people and the rest will follow. A
decade ago, many of the area’s large empty
buildings served only as a testament to the
city’s past, when over 40% of the world’s
trade was passing through Liverpool’s docks.
Large warehouses and introverted industrial
units presented unique problems and creative
reinvention was required to house a new
creative, media and digital industry.
These initial regeneration projects allowed
the Baltic Triangle to boast a range of unique
attributes and the following is to name but a
few. A derelict recycling yard is now home to
Constellations: an award-winning timber frame
‘pavilion’ bar and events venue. One of the city’s
largest warehouses, once storage for cargo,
spices and coffee is now Elevator Studios, a
hub of creative workspaces and music recording
facilities. Baltic Creative has become one of the
city’s largest providers of innovative creative
workspaces: from an internal street of ‘shed’
studios to large loading bay gallery spaces and
shop-front offices. Camp and Furnace, once
the metaphorical outpost within the Baltic’s
industrial landscape, is now joined by several
bars, breweries, coffee shops and a bakery.
The University Technical College and Studio
School are already forging strong links with
creative companies in the area and city region.
Refurbished and new-build developments sit
side-by-side with derelict buildings, vacant
plots and future opportunities.
In contrast to wholesale regeneration projects,
the Baltic Triangle has been developed in
a piecemeal fashion, avoiding the danger
of macabre reinvention. Well established
light-industrial businesses reinforce the
area’s reputation as a ‘making’ place, as cold
forged metal press companies; wholesalers,
blacksmitheries and timber workshops co-exist
with web developers and gaming companies.
The Baltic Triangle is a work in progress and
successful regeneration comes from realising
a collective vision, with strong relationships
between local government, developers,
designers and stakeholders. The creative and
digital sector has influenced how investment
and development is delivered in the Baltic.
This cluster, the second fastest growing tech
sector in the UK, is being served by developers,
architects and designers who understand
the sector’s value to the city. Streets are
becoming more vibrant and active, with many
developments incorporating ground floor
commercial spaces for creative and digital
companies; private developer investment in
public art platforms and street art festivals. The
volume of commercial space is set to double in
the next two years, including projects for the
provision of arts, rehearsal, maker spaces, film
production and theatre. In addition to this is
a large number of residential units, a growing
nighttime economy and the potential for a
new underground station firmly establishing
the area on the infrastructure map.
However, despite all the achievements to date,
maintaining the momentum of development and
increasing the critical mass of people, living, work
and visiting the area is essential to guarantee the
Baltic Triangle’s long-term success.
Miles Pearson

A Baltic Triangle for the future.
LDA Design has been appointed by the city council to create a spatial
regeneration framework (SRF) for the Baltic Triangle. Designed to
supplement local plan policy and aid the council in guiding the positive
development of the area, the SRF will encourage design quality, place
making and a sustainable mix of uses. LDA’s approach is shaped by the
people who use an area: “We make great places where people belong,” it
says. “Our approach is ‘first life, then spaces, then buildings.’”
Ultimately the SRF’s aim is to create a balance between the area’s creative
and independent character — whilst providing a platform for economic and
residential growth. The SRF will not seek to restrict development, instead it
will encourage the best type of development, which will enhance the area
and have a lasting positive impact. It will take into account and build on
the area’s successes, whilst recognising its limitations and issues which need
to be overcome.
Late spring will see a charrette — a collaborative design meeting —
between businesses, landowners, stakeholders and the LDA team. It will
look at the Triangle in its entirety, considering — among many other
things — appropriate heights for developments; public space; key routes
through the area; missing development opportunities and seek to improve
pedestrian access, bringing the Triangle closer to the city centre.
The plan — and policies and principles that will accompany it — should be
adopted by the end of 2019.
JohnJohnson

Nurture a
transport
plan that is
green, yellow,
exotic and
practical.
14

Bikes
Of the four stations in the Baltic Triangle
area (St James Street, Jamaica Street South,
Baltic Creative and Cains Brewery Village),
all have shown increasing rentals since their
installation; Jamaica Street South consistently
appears in the top ten most-used stations.
Previous analysis of the top ten stations
showed that the top journeys from Jamaica
Street South were to the stations at John Lewis
atLiverpoolOne,HanoverStreetandChurchStreet.
There are no plans to expand Citybike stations
currently, although this may change, depending
on new developments taking place in the area.
“Following a successful funding bid, the City
Council is currently developing plans to provide
a ‘Green Route’ linking the RopeWalks area of
the city with Queen’s Wharf, the route would
pass through Chinatown and the Baltic Triangle.
This would allow pedestrians and cyclists a
safe and secure route through the area and
improve links between the city centre, Baltic
Triangle and the waterfront. This would have
a positive impact on businesses and residents
as it would provide a safe and secure route
from the city centre and encourage people
to visit the area. Funding from the Liverpool
City Region Combined Authority Growth Deal
for Sustainable Transport Enhancements
Programme will be used by Liverpool City
Council to carry out a number of public realm
improvements to the ‘Baltic Triangle Active
Travel Route.’”
- Baltic Triangle Development Framework
Buses
The Baltic Triangle is served by a number of
bus routes — currently the 204 bus runs down
Jamaica Street, Baltic’s main artery. These
bus routes run infrequently down Park Lane
and Parliament Street, along the edges of the
Triangle.
Merseytravel is willing to act as a conduit
between residents of the Baltic Triangle and the
bus operators (mainly Arriva and Stagecoach)
and help create the business case for re-routed
pre-existing bus routes as demand increases.
* Information provided by Karen Stevens, Cycling
and Walking officer at Liverpool City Council,
and Liam Robinson, Chair of Merseytravel.
Andrew Beattie
Russell Gannon
TrainiconbyOCHA/BikeiconbyFreepik/BusiconbyFreepik
Allfromwww.flaticon.com

Vicente Veras
St James
Street Station
is one of 30
proposed new
stations under
consideration
by Merseytravel
across the city
region. The station
would cost upwards
of £10 million to
complete, which
could be funded
in part by private
sector contributions.
New stations can take
up to five years to
complete from the start
of feasibility studies and
Merseytravel plans to
expand the network by
one new station every five
years at present.
“Merseyrail also has an
ambition to reopen the
abandoned St James Station.
Closed in 1917, it sits in a
cutting close to the junction
of Parliament Street and St
James Place. The problem is
that the area for the platforms is
too narrow to accommodate the
width required for modern safety
standards; the work necessary will
require substantial excavation into
the adjoining rock walls. Although
an expensive project, the requirement
for direct access into the area is key
to attracting larger businesses and
increasing employment opportunities.
Merseytravel has commissioned an
‘Initial Demand and Benefit Study’ to
look at the potential opening of a new
station at either St James or Chinatown.
With the number of proposed and
confirmed new developments such as
Kings Waterfront, New Chinatown and
Cains Brewery Village which would all,
combined, introduce significant new footfall
into the area, a new station would provide
a vital transport hub directly to employment
sites. Although not finalised and published,
the initial findings of the study show that the
opening of a new station is feasible, albeit at
a high cost, with a potential for over 2m new
passengers trips in 2021.”
- Baltic Triangle Development Framework
Trains
“The Baltic Triangle Area Company
has, since its inception five years ago,
lobbied and supported the idea of
reopening the St James Train Station.
This would be a catalyst for the
ongoing development of the Baltic and
would not only serve Baltic Triangle
businesses but the waterfront, L8 and L1
resident communities, both cathedrals
and further support the Cains Brewery
Village opportunity. It would be a
game-changer for the Baltic.”
- Mark Lawler, co-chair of the Baltic
Triangle Stakeholders group and
managing director of Baltic Creative CIC

15
Bring knowledge;
create opportunities.
Share learning
and innovate.

The world is changing. And, there’s nowhere
this rings truer than the future of our global
workforce. Today, businesses are looking for
experience and an enterprising attitude, as well
as A levels and accreditations; our education
system needs to catch up and reflect this.
Striding ahead of the curve, the Life Sciences
UTC and neighbouring Studio School provide
a unique educational experience for their
students. Nestled in the heart of the Baltic
Triangle, the next generation of creatives and
health care practitioners are hard at work.
Located on Greenland Street, in one of the
area’s iconic red brick warehouses, this is the
training ground for future scientists, health
care professionals, gamers, coders, designers,
engineers and entrepreneurs.
Two separate schools with very different
specialisms, the UTC is the first school in the
UK to specialise in science, healthcare and
engineering; whilst the Studio has a creative
and digital focus.
The UTC works closely with Liverpool’s
award-winning research institutions and local
businesses to create specialised vocational
qualifications and educational experiences for
its students.
The Liverpool City Region has one of the largest
concentrations of science and healthcare
professionals in the UK, and UTC students
complete placements with the Royal Liverpool
University and Broadgreen Hospital Trust, the
School of Tropical Medicine, Unilever and the
University of Liverpool, amongst others.
Being in the Baltic is one of the key drivers
which appeals to students across the Liverpool
City Region…
“It’s always busy and there’s so much stuff
going on. It’s fantastic being around businesses
– there’s such an opportunity to meet people,
and you’re surrounded by people with similar
interests,’ says Beth — a former UTC student.
A short skip upstairs, and you’ll find the
Studio School, a Baltic resident since 2013 and
a stone’s throw from some of the business
community’s key influencers, who are on hand
to help the students to become industry-ready.
By immersing its students in local businesses
including, Baltic Creative, vTime, FACT and
Liverpool Sound City, students benefit from
mentoring, specialist workshops and a helping
hand in securing their first professional role
after graduation.
“The opportunities with the local businesses
were great, we worked with them a lot,” says
Jack — a recent graduate from the Studio
School. “They often came in [to the school]
and we applied for internships through the
school. There’s opportunities here that you
can’t get anywhere else.”
The Studio School is a popular choice amongst
studentsandparentswhoarekeentospecialise
in the creative and digital industries…
“We saw the advert for the school,and we came
along to the open days and thought it sounded
brilliant,” says a Studio School parent. “Within
the first six months our daughter came out of
her shell, doing presentations to auditoriums
of people. It was incredible. The school pushed
her, and some amazing teachers have helped
her on her way — even down to the dress code,
where they dress every day like they have a
job interview. It’s given them freedom, while
setting them up for the real world.”
Both part of the Northern Schools Trust, the
Baltic’s Life Sciences UTC and Studio School
have both been rated Good with Outstanding
Features, in recent Ofsted inspections.
“There is a shared vision
to prepare students
well for employment.
As a result, this is an
orderly and business-like
setting where students
and staff work together
cooperatively and
purposefully.”
- Ofsted, Studio School

LifeScienceUTCstudentsinthehealthsuiteStudioSchoolartwork
Lucy Chesters
StudioSchoolAllanMelia

16
Amplify the creative
and digital economy
from start-up to
scale-up.
Baltic Creative has been a focal point for creative and digital businesses in the area.
Pete Carr

It’s probably the most unique location in
Liverpool’s L1 postcode right now and – with
all that keeps happening here — it is likely to
be that way for a good while yet.”
Liverpool buzzes with creativity and has a
culture of storytelling which has been woven
into the gaming world. The fusion of stories
and game tech has blossomed here, influencing
other companies in the Baltic Triangle such
as BAFTA nominees Lucid Games and Playrise
Digital, who have created games for major
consoles including PlayStation and Xbox.
The influence of Sony on the city’s game
industry — bought by Sony in 1993, Psygnosis
became the tech giant’s oldest and second-
largest development studio — remains. When
its final incarnation, Studio Liverpool, closed
in 2012, it left the city with a legacy of highly
skilled, innovative developers. Many of whom
headed straight for the Baltic Triangle.
Wangerin explains why the digital crowd has
gravitated towards the Baltic Triangle and how
they work together. “We are actively using
other companies and individuals based in the
area for our business — whether that’s brand
identity, web development or freelancers.
Being able to easily meet face to face and in
easy walking distance is a big plus. And the
choice of suppliers keeps growing.”
People are ‘captivated’ by the area, he says:
“All the business I’ve been involved with in
the last six years or so have been in the Baltic
Triangle because it was affordable, close to the
city centre, has good internet connections, and
feels accessible.” But the area has developed
a pull that’s about more than business and
connections — “it’s started to develop an
identity that spans day and night, weekday
and weekend,” he says. “Even working there
during the week, I don’t hesitate to go on a
weekend to meet friends over coffee, enjoy a
night out or some culture.”
vTime has taken a big leap and is leading the
way for VR technology — we’re excited to see
where it will take us next.
At first glance, Jamaica Street is surrounded by
roofing services, joiners and mechanics. But,
inside these old warehouses, hides a booming
tech industry. Baltic Creative CIC was
established in 2009, designed to invest in
diverse spaces catering to Liverpool’s booming
creative and digital sector. Today, it owns
118,000sq/ft of space and houses more than
150 tech businesses, playing a major role
in area’s regeneration. Part incubator, part
developer and part innovator, it nurtures the
city’s tech scene with a flexible approach that
supports early-stage and growing creative and
digital businesses.
Around the corner, over 15 tech companies are
based in Elevator alone. The city is experiencing
a grassroots-driven explosion of talent, with
companies blazing a trail through their use of
cutting-edge technologies.
We spoke to one of Europe’s top tech startups,
vTime. Founded in 2013, the studio specialises
in virtual and augmented reality engagement
technology. Flagship product vTime – a VR
social network that allows anyone, anywhere
to socialise with family and friends in virtual
reality — is enjoyed by users in over 190
countries, with just under a million downloads
to date.
Long-time Elevator residents, we asked what
the area means to them...
Managing director Clemens Wangerin also sits
on the board of Baltic Creative. He says: “Being
part of the Baltic Triangle means you’re part of
something different. A place that feels different,
looks different and is home to a diverse mix of
people that are there for different reasons: to
work, to unwind, to entertain, to dance, to learn,
to eat, to shop; to make use of services, to meet
friends, to live... and the list keeps growing.
Jen Howden
CitrusSuite
Gaming is
thriving in the
Baltic Triangle.

Living here:
help shape the
experience.
17

We feel a real
attachment
to the Baltic
Triangle —
something
special
happened here.
Diana and her husband Thomas moved to the
Baltic Triangle in September 2006, and their
three children León, Coco and Paco arrived
during the decade they spent living here. They
are familiar faces in the area, involved and
engaged in activity around the local area. ‘We
are really attached to it here — we feel very
connected to the area,’ says Diana.
“When we moved we had two days to find
somewhere and looked at 13 places, but we
reallywantedtolivehere.Wewantedsomething
old and characterful; we
wanted outdoor space
and big bedrooms… We
got none of those things
in the end, but it is light
and bright and has a great
kitchen/ diner/ family
room. There was nothing
here when we moved in.
The hotel wasn’t there;
the Pilkington warehouse
was just up the road —
but the only businesses
around here were garages
or industrial businesses.”
The couple moved to
the UK from Berlin
— though Diana’s
roots are Cuban —
when Ryanair pilot
Thomas was posted
overseas, bringing
their cosmopolitan,
continental view of city
living to the Triangle.
Diana started her own business in 2010, with
support from the Women’s Organisation
(known as Train 2000 at the time). “They were
based in the Wellington Buildings,” remembers
Diana, “and moved over to St James Street —
that was my first sense of this becoming an
‘area’. I remember seeing the Baltic Creative
plan presented, and Jayne Casey (Baltic
Creative director), standing there and saying
of the village within a building, ‘this is for the
creatives’. It was really exciting. I can remember
coming home to Thomas and saying ‘it’s going
to be busy around here’.”
Fiona Shaw

The family saw huge change during its ten years
in the Triangle: the former sewing warehouses
that now provide a home for the UTC, Studio
School and Elevator Studios became the
Contemporary Urban Centre after the 2006
Biennial; luxury apartments with a concierge
are being built across the street.
They remain excited by the buzz of living in a
city centre. “We walked over to the people’s
opening for Capital of Culture at the arena;
we had the Giants going past our balcony,”
grins Thomas. German preconceptions about
Liverpool aren’t far removed from many others,
by all accounts. “People in Germany think about
the Beatles and Liverpool being an industrial
city,” says Diana. “But we fell in love with it in
a month, and decided to stay here. This is our
home now.
“The whole city centre is our base. Liverpool
is a small city, so nothing is more than half an
hour’s walk away. But we feel a real attachment
to the Baltic Triangle — something special
happened here. We’ve got to know many of the
local business owners around here in the last
few years, from Alison Appleton to the garage
owners. But it’s sad that the older businesses
are being made to leave — the cabinet makers
and the garages are all closing down.”
But, after a decade of excitement, change
and the search for community, the family has
recently moved further into town, in a bid to
find more space for its growing brood. “We
would have loved to stay here,” says Diana. “We
even looked at self-building, but the area is
being developed so heavily that by the time we
started looking for property it was already too
late,” adds Thomas. “Families would like to live
here, but everything is built with a maximum
of two bedrooms, and no outside space, so we
had to look further afield. There is a perception
here that you live in the city centre when you
are young, and when you get married and have
a family you move out to the suburbs.”
Thomas is passionate about his home, and
community – and the perception of missed
opportunities: “Everything is seen as an asset
here and handed over to the developers.
Where is the vision? The developments are
so uninspired — building a community takes
commitment, but this area is designed to be
so transient. Nothing residential is built for
anyone who wants to settle here, so there is no
community of residents. No ‘community of the
interested’.
“You want people to love it so much that
they never want to move away. Communities
develop when you raise a new generation. We
will always be newcomers, but our children
were all born here and this is their community.
Lots of families have the same issues as us, but
if you can’t hold a resident for two generations,
how short-sighted is that?”
As a pilot based at Liverpool John Lennon
airport, Thomas can physically see the numbers
of people arriving in and leaving the city.
“Successful cities make the city nice for the
people that live there; first people come to live;
then others to visit, and then the businesses
follow. I’m concerned that it seems that our
momentum from Capital of Culture year is
slowing. The number of planes we have based
at Liverpool Airport has halved since Capital
of Culture. So much still happens here, but we
must make sure that people know about it —
both visitors, and the people who live here.
We need to make sure it is a city that people
continue to love. That is the challenge…”
Director Mark Lawler says that the Area CIC has long
recognised the need to increase the number of people
living in the Triangle. “Permanent residents bring lots
of advantages and, with a growing creative and digital
business community, the people that work in those
businesses will benefit from a residential offer which
better suits their lives.”
The Area Company is keen to support a growth in both
privaterentedaccommodationandfor-salehomes,and
picks upThomas’point about families,alongside young
professionals. “We’re hoping to see more new two —
and three — bedroom homes developed. We also think
there is an emerging market forco-live accommodation
— somewhere where young professionals can come
together to live and experience the burgeoning
environment which supports their lifestyle. This co-
live rented offer creates a soft landing for new people
moving to Liverpool — many of whom are joining our
growing creative and digital businesses.”
Future homes

18
New things
will still
happen all
the time.

The year is 2029, and the Baltic Triangle is a
diverse melting pot of residents and workers.
Many families have lived here now for seven
years, alongside students and workers from the
varied businesses based here. The Baltic Triangle
sometimes feels like a village to our residents;
close enough to get to town — or anywhere
else for that matter — but everything is here
on your doorstep too. We have shops to shop
in, entertainment for all ages, spaces to gather
and linger, trees to climb, work to be done, new
locally-made clothes to try on, parties to dance
at and cultural happenings to enjoy.
The Baltic remains the best place in the city
to open your new business, whether that’s a
creative endeavour, a technology business,
a new bricks-and-mortar retailer or a food
entrepreneur. Many of the businesses that
started here in 2019 are still here, and that
lived experience provides the perfect support
network and experience to help your new idea
get off the ground.
Tens of thousands of people pour into the
Baltic Triangle each week for work, to study,
to soak up the best live music anywhere in the
region, to eat at our restaurants, drink in our
bars and shop in our shops. They come on foot,
easily by bike on our cycle-friendly streets, by
bus, or by car. It’s easy to get here — we’re well
connected and easy to get around. But most
people come here on the train, from north or
south, through St James Station.
For the past five years, for a week in the
summer, we turn the Baltic Triangle into a
festival ground, closing Jamaica Street for the
week to traffic and head out onto the street for
a summer. This is a chance for us to all meet —
for young and old, from our current students
to long-time stalwarts — to play together, to
enjoy live music, to meet our guests.
Our shared spirit is egalitarian. That’s how
we do it here. We work hand in hand to help
each other thrive. We turn up at each other’s
launches, support each other’s ventures,
and buy from each other. But mostly we are
responsible neighbours. We understand that
the things that make the Baltic Triangle a special
place are worth protecting. Our music venues,
our cultural offerings, our workspaces, venues,
students and residents live side-by-side. It’s
not always easy, but we talk to each other and
we know the value that each of us brings here
— and so we make it work for everyone. We
take care of each other and the place.
And there is still space to grow, new people to
come here, new investments to be made and
new things to happen. What’s next?
As of 2019 the Baltic Triangle has abundant space to grow –
whether that’s new spaces to open, existing spaces to be reused
in new and unimaginable ways, new types of businesses to open,
new people living here or new events and happenings. Despite
thearea’srichhistory,itstillfeelsasifwe’realljustgettingstarted
here. That’s why the people here love being here – and why
people that aren’t — love coming here. We’re helping to shape a
constantly-evolving place in our own ways, using our manifesto
as a guide.
Andrew Beattie

27 Bridgewater Street, Baltic, L1 0AR
2 3 4 5
5 townhouses / 3 and 4 bed
1
Parliament Residences
Phase 2
145apartments
1, 2 and 3 bed
L1 0AJ
Baltic in development
ART
Apartments
55
apartments
Tabley Street, Baltic,
L1 2HB
1 and 2 bed
Hurst Street,
Baltic, L1 8DN
1,2,3 bed and townhouses
204
Kings Dock Mill
Phase 2
apartments
Glenville
Street,
Baltic,
L1 5JR
The Eight
Building
102
apartments
1, 2 and 3 bed
Norton’s
No. of apartments 650
Apartment types: 1, 2
and 3 bed
Address: Flint Street,
Baltic, L1 0DH
The Baltic Triangle continues to ebb and flow; grow and develop.
Opportunities arise all of the time – new businesses, tenants and tourists
arrive and the Baltic Triangle adapts. These are current proposed and in
development projects, data correct as of October 2018.

Proposed
Heaps Mill
No. of apartments: 800
Apartment type: studio, 1, 2 and 3 bed
Address: 1 Park Lane, Liverpool, L1 5EX
Brewery Village (Cains)
No. of apartments: 1400/1500
Apartment types: studio, 1, 2 and 3 bed
Address: Baltic, L8 5XJ
St James Court
No. of apartments: 157 Apartment
types: studio, 1 and 2 bed
Address: Baltic Triangle, L1 5HA
Former Bogan’s
Apartment types: studio, 1 and 2 bed
Address: Baltic Triangle, L1 5HA
One Baltic Square
Apartment types: 1 and 2 bed
Address: Grafton St, Liverpool, L8 4QX
Norfolk House
No. of apartments: 306 bed hotel and apartments
Apartment types: hotel and apartments
Address: Norfolk Street, L1 0AR
Bogan’s Carpets
35 Bridgewater Street
No. of apartments: 43 Apartment
types: 1, 2 and 3 bed
Address: 35 Bridgewater Street,
Baltic, L1 0AJ
Brassey Street
Apartment types: 1 and 2 bed
Address: Brassey St, Liverpool, L8 5XP
Greenland St/Great George Street
Apartment types: studios, 1, 2 and 3 bed
Address: Greenland St/Great George St,
Liverpool, L1 0BS
1902

Baltic in
numbers
Baltic is a high profile location, in close proximity
to the city centre, with distinctive rich heritage
and historic character. The area covers three-
quarters of a square mile and supports 4,000
people in work. There are 500 businesses
operating in the Triangle, with 30+ venues. It is
ranked in The Times’ top five places to live in UK.
Over
1,000apartments have been
completed since 2012;
448are currently on site;
over
2,570more have received or
are seeking planning
approval.
350student bedrooms
have been built;
150more are on site,
with over
400proposed
£128mhas been invested in
new developments in
the Baltic Triangle since
January 2012 — plus
£62m currently on site.
£600mof development planned
for Baltic Triangle,
between schemes with
and currently seeking
planning permission.
500new jobs have been
created since January
2012, with a further 45
new jobs possible in
developments currently
on site. 800 are planned
in future schemes…
The Sefton Street corridor,
south of the Baltic
Triangle, is an extended
mixed use zone along the
riverfront. It is expected
to become the heart of a
push for more residential
developments along this
stretch of south Liverpool.
£3bnhas been invested
in schemes either
on site or due to
commence imminently,
in the neighbouring
Knowledge Quarter
Mayoral Development
Zone and the Liverpool
City Enterprise Zone.
Kings Waterfront
— home to the
Liverpool Arena
and Convention
Centre, Exhibition
Centre and three
new hotels, is ten
minutes’ walk;
the £1bn Liverpool
One shopping and
leisure complex is
also ten minutes’
walk away;
Liverpool John
Lennon Airport is
eight miles south.
Europe’s oldest
Chinese community,
dating back to the
early 1800s, borders
the Triangle.
There are just shy
of 350 hotel beds
in the Triangle,
within walking
distance of
tourist attractions
including the
Royal Albert Dock
Liverpool, Beatles
Museum, Liverpool
One, Tate Liverpool
and Echo Arena.
A luxury 306 bed
hotel on Chaloner
Street has been
approved.
advertising
architecture
artcharity & the
third sector
construction
craft
design
education
festivals
filmfood & drink
galleries
hair & beauty
ITleisure
magazine
marketing
music
performance
photography
professional
services
publishing
retail
software
development
TV & video
visual arts
To name just a few.
Its potential is vast.
Baltic Triangle
tenants come
from thefields of

Baltic’s community has
identified transport links
as its primary focus for
improvement. 92% of
Baltic Census survey
respondents say that
they, their clients or staff
would use a re-opened
St James Station.
According to the 2018
Baltic Census, 87% of
businesses in the area
lease their workspace;
13% own.
Liverpool Life Sciences
UTC and The Studio,
Liverpool provide
education for 14-19
year olds in the £4.5m
refurbished CUC building.
Combining practical and
academic studies with
respective focuses on life
sciences and digital and
creative, more than 800
students visit the Triangle
every day.
Elevator Studios is one of
the area’s anchor spaces
— the Grade II listed
building provides 90,000
sq ft of flexible space for
artists, musicians and
commercial businesses.
* Information taken from Baltic Triangle Area Survey
Baltic Creative now
manages 180,000
sq ft, supporting 153
companies and 500
people in work. Baltic’s
new ‘Digital House’ at
61- 65 Norfolk Street
will provide 17,000
sq ft of commercial
space and support 150
jobs while 2-6 Jordan
Street will create an
additional 35,000 sq
ft of commercial space
and bring another 250
jobs to the area.
* Information supplied by Baltic Creative
The Northern Lights
development, an
artist-led space, is
in the former Cains
canning warehouse
and has created
45,000 sq ft of
dedicated affordable
creative commercial
space and is home to
108 jobs.
* Information supplied by Baltic Creative
Cains Brewery Village’s
first tenant moved in
in March 2016. It now
supports 35 direct
tenants, occupying
240,000 sq ft,
including 60 business
owners and 300 staff.
There are a further 265
sub-tenant units with
another 700 staff –
with 100,000 sq ft still
to be let.
* Information supplied by Cains Brewery Village
54 St James Street is not
only an internationally-
renowned centre for
entrepreneurship and
economic development,
but is home to over 230
businesses.
* Information taken from Baltic Triangle Area Survey
Key development opportunities:
Kings Dock Street Industrial Estate
Total site area: 2.84 hectares / 7 acres
Suitable uses: Offices & Creatives, Leisure
& Assembly, Workspaces, Institutions &
Education, Hotel, Residential
Ownership: Mostly private sector with some
Council ownership
Head Street Industrial Estate
Total site area: 0.45 hectares / 1.11 acres
Suitable uses: Light Industrial, Storage
Ownership: Liverpool City Council
St James Place/Mill Street/Gore Street
Suitable uses: Residential
Ownership: Mostly Liverpool City Council
Norton Scrap Site, Chaloner Street/
Parliament Street/Flint Street
Ownership: Private sector
St James Quarter: Upper Stanhope
Street/Dexter Street
Suitable uses: Residential
Ownership: Mostly private ownership with
some (20%) Liverpool City Council
East Side of Sefton Street, 39-41 Sefton
Street/3-15 Hill Street
Ownership: Private sector
*Statistics – unless otherwise credited – are
taken from the Baltic Triangle Development
Framework, September 2017

Map designed by Sam Jones
https://cargocollective.com/samjonesdesign

A manifesto was made possible through the
generosity of Baltic Creative, Bruntwood,
Pearson Architects and The Women’s
Organisation.
Baltic Triangle Area Company directors
Chris Green - Baltic Creative CIC
Liam Kelly – Make Liverpool
Mark Lawler – Baltic Creative
Lyndsay MacAulay – Northern Schools Trust
Jo Mountfort – The Women’s Organisation
Russell Gannon – Easytech Solutions
Tristan Brady-Jacobs – Hobo Kiosk
Baltic Triangle Area Company Events Team
Russell Gannon
Chris Green
Alison James
Alex Kelly
Liam Kelly
Jo Mountfort
Contributors:
Jack Atkins, Andrew Beattie, Lucy Chesters,
Jennifer Graham, Jen Howden, Miles Pearson,
Fiona Shaw
Photographers:
Keith Ainsworth, Baltic Bakehouse, Pete
Carr, Baltic Creative, Foxlight Creative,
Melodic Distraction, Antonio Franco, Coffee
& Fandisha, Russell Gannon, Higsons,
Hinterlands, Emma Jones, John Johnson,
Uncorked Jacks, Dan Kenyon, Allan Melia,
Hannah Metcalfe, Miles Pearson, Joanna Rose,
Citrus Suite, Fiona Shaw, Jazamin Sinclair,
Studio School, Tangent, Vicente Veras
Design by Emma Jones
Map designed by Sam Jones
Produced and published by Wordscape
Find out more online:
Visit our website baltictriangle.co.uk
or email: info@baltictriangle.co.uk
Credits

A manifesto.
baltictriangle.co.uk
Team Baltic is the affectionate term we use in the area to describe
the comradely spirit amongst friends, colleagues and businesses.
Together, we’ve achieved so much over the last decade; lending,
borrowing, trading, trying, crying and celebrating together. The
spirit of collaboration over competition is very much part of why
our tenants and residents, visitors and collaborators choose to be
part of #teambaltic.
#teambaltic

Baltic Triangle Area Manifesto 2019

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