Dozens of badge, hot food and souvenir stalls set up outside Anfield on match days could be relocated as part of huge plans by Liverpool Council to regenerate the area.
Earlier this summer, the city council announced £5m in funding to go towards a wider regeneration project known as Anfield Spatial Regeneration Framework (SRF).
The scheme will support matchday operations and integrate with other ongoing projects in the area. The proposals cover Walton Breck Road, Oakfield Road, Pulford Street, Back Rockfield Road, and Gilman Street, with a view to enhancing the area’s appearance, safety, and accessibility.
Dozens of badge, hot food and souvenir stalls set up outside Anfield on match days could be relocatedplaceholder image
Dozens of badge, hot food and souvenir stalls set up outside Anfield on match days could be relocated | Carl Recine/Getty Images
There are currently 41 matchday traders outside the Reds’ home operating before, during and after the game. However, permissions are being looked at as some may be forced to move as part of the regeneration plans.
Key features of the proposed scheme include improved public realm and pedestrian connectivity, new soft landscaping and planting, upgraded footways and high-quality paving and carriageway resurfacing and improved drainage. There will also be new modernised street lighting, a new mini-roundabout at the junction of Walton Breck Road and Oakfield Road, reconfigured on-street parking, relocated pedestrian crossings and reduced road widths and speed limits to calm traffic.
As part of the changes, this could lead to changes for matchday traders. A document released ahead of a street trading sub-committee on Thursday September 4 explained.
It said: “The area surrounding LFC’s football stadium in Anfield is surrounded by Consented Streets. On LFC home match days we have 41 LFC match day traders that sell hot food and football merchandise.
“Given the change in layout it may be necessary to revoke a number of Street Trading Consents. – If the trader(s) are able to find a new location to trade then it may be possible to relocate some traders.
“This would be subject to the usual consultation and Sub-committee process.” A wider public consultation on the scheme finished on August 22 with a drop-in event for all traders held on August 13.
The local authority held a similar summit to ascertain how many traders formerly based around Goodison Park would seek to set up stalls around Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock. Last Autumn, community leaders warned the regeneration of Anfield and Walton Breck Road could not solely focus on the football club and its stadium.
Cllr Billy Marrat said it remained his and the community’s dream to see a community centre installed on the patch of land known as Anfield Square. He said: “They’ve put up with a lot these residents, with Liverpool FC and the pop concerts going on, they’ve gone along with it, they mightn’t have liked it but they’ve gone along with it, and I think they deserve this to come to fruition.”
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