Venues are anticipating a record breaking day
Liverpool FC’s Premier League title parade will be monumental event for the city. Thousands of people are expected to line the parade route and cheer on the champions making their victory lap.
The 15km victory route, the same as the 2019 and 2022 parades, will start at Allerton Maze in the south of the city. It will then travel northbound on Queens Drive towards the Fiveways roundabout and on to the Rocket flyover.
From there, it will journey along Queens Drive, Mill Bank, West Derby Road and Islington before approaching the city centre via Leeds Street and on to The Strand, concluding at Blundell Street.
A number of venues are lucky enough to be located on the parade’s path. These sites will benefit from, having thousands of customers on their doorsteps, creating one of the busiest shifts they can ever imagine.
Franco’s Ice Cream is a tiny hut that has spent more than five decades at the Pier Head. Whether you’re driving past it on your way through the city or nipping by for a quick bite before a Pier Head festival, everyone knows Franco’s in one way or another.
The cabin cafe offers everything from butties and coffee to ice cream and soft drinks, acting as one of the last remnants of days gone by attached to Mann Island St. George’s Dock Pumping Station.
Franco’s has queues snaking along the street anytime an event takes place near the Pier Head. The Liverpool FC parade will be no exception
Staff member Carol told the ECHO: “I’m so excited for it. We can’t see out because there is a sea of people in front of the window. It’s crazy.
“The parade is fantastic. A really great atmosphere all around. From midday, there will be huge crowds ready and waiting for the parade to come down this way. People will be standing on everything they can to get a good view early on.
“We have a slanted roof so thankfully no one can stand on top of us. There are families and all ages just enjoying themselves, especially if it’s a nice day.”
Franco’s is only purpose built cafe located directly outside and on The Strand. Visitors clear the shelves of ice cream and fizzy drinks at the first opportunity.
Carol said: “There will be people from the street to well past our window. That’s how busy it gets we’re right in the middle.
“The atmosphere is brilliant. People won’t leave the area until around 8pm. We’re always here for the big events and love being a part of them.”
A notable newcomer to the scene is Daffodil – a floating restaurant on Liverpool’s Canning Dock. The former Mersey Ferry has been transformed into a dining and bar space following a £3.5m renovation project.
Daffodil offers a variety of options including casual lunch time visits, a promenade bar and an evening dinning room below deck. Given it’s prime location on The Strand, the team is gearing up for one of their busiest days yet.
A spokesperson for Daffodil told the ECHO: “We’re absolutely over the moon that we are in place for the parade. We can’t wait to get things under way.
“We’re going to be busy but we’re ready for it. This will be the biggest event since we opened in December last year. We’re the only venue set into the water. We’re absolutely thrilled to be a part of it on the dockside instead of the roadside. It’s very exciting.”
Further afield is The Navigator pub, located at the start of the parade route on Queens Drive in Old Swan. Duty manager Josh Grahame has secured his dream team and safety precautions to ensure the venue can manage the rush.
Josh told the ECHO: “We’re ready to go. We’ve got safety precautions in place to ensure everyone can have a safe and enjoyable time. I’m excited for it.
“There will be a huge amount of people but we’re ready. We’ll be pretty much packed out and we’re forecasting a record day.”
The parade will take place on the day after Liverpool’s final match of the season, which is at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday, May 25. The players will then be able to parade their achievement in front of hundreds of thousands of fans the following day – before then heading off for a well deserved holiday after a long and successful season.
It is anticipated the parade will last between three to five hours, though this is subject to change. As in 2019 and in 2022, the key advice to supporters is to line the entire route and plan travel in advance.
Those planning to line the route and cheer the team on should expect the city to be extremely busy, not only on the Monday, but also in the days beforehand as Liverpool is hosting the major music event, Radio 1 Big Weekend.