An architecture walking & coach tour with Jonathan Brown
Join SAVE for a special anniversary tour celebrating 50 years of campaigning in Liverpool. From grand hotels and warehouses to churches, parks, and terraced streets, Liverpool’s built heritage has been at the heart of some of our most significant victories.
Few cities combine such a wealth of historic architecture with an equally intense appetite for demolition. This whole day tour offers a rare opportunity to learn about the success stories and the challenges that remain, guided by Jonathan Brown MRTPI, who has played a key role in SAVE’s Liverpool campaigns. Our journey begins at Lime Street Station, the world’s oldest grand railway terminus.
We’ll walk towards the Mersey waterfront, pausing at architectural icons such as St George’s Hall, the Royal Albert Dock, and the Royal Liver Building. The tour will also take in the city’s lively shopping district - and its characterful back streets, where cultural landmarks like the Bluecoat Art Centre and the Cavern Club have left their mark on Liverpool’s rich artistic and musical legacy.
In the afternoon, we’ll board a mini coach for a panoramic exploration of the wider city. In the Georgian quarter, we’ll visit Hope Street, home to two cathedrals, the Stirling Prize-winning Everyman Theatre, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, as well as the schools attended by John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney, and George Harrison. A key highlight of this afternoon’s tour is Toxteth’s Victorian Welsh Streets, the site of one of SAVE’s longest and hardest-fought campaigns. Nearby in Granby, we’ll see another remarkable transformation, a project that went on to win the Turner Prize in 2015.
This tour is a celebration of five decades of relentless advocacy, community collaboration, and lasting impact. We invite you to join us in honouring SAVE’s legacy in Liverpool—a city where our campaigns have not only protected historic buildings but also safeguarded the spirit of its neighbourhoods for future generations.
Jonathan Brown MRTPI is a town planner, campaigner, author, and the director of urban consultancy Share the City. He specialises in master planning, conservation, and urban study tours in the Liverpool and Manchester city region. Jonathan plays an instrumental role in SAVE’s campaigns and has contributed to many SAVE publications over the years and has lectured at institutions including the Paris Sorbonne and the V&A. He works closely with community groups, media, government, and conservation charities, including the Empty Homes Agency.
Timings: The day runs from 11:30 at Lime Street Station to 17:00 at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, with a one-hour independent lunch break around 13:30 (tables will be reserved). The morning walking tour will last at least 90 minutes. The morning walking tour lasts at least 90 minutes. The itinerary is full, with interior visits*, and timings may shift by up to 15 minutes.
Ticket prices include a guided walking tour, interior visits*, afternoon tour by mini coach, expert commentary throughout, Eventbrite booking fees, and all logistics arranged by SAVE. We are offering a special early bird discount of £10 per ticket for reservations made by 19th May 2025.
Early Bird - £50 Friends & Saviours | £60 General Public | £40 Students
Regular - £60 Friends & Saviours | £70 General Public | £50 Students
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*Please note the morning walking tour will be 90 minutes or longer. Lunch is not included, however tables in a nearby restaurant are reserved. We have a full and fairly packed itinerary and timings on the day may vary by up to 15 minutes due to traffic or other unforeseen circumstances.
The day will include selected interior visits, such as the Turner Prize-winning Granby Winter Garden – a remarkable community-led project –, the renovated North Western Hotel (now Radisson RED Liverpool) formerly a SAVE case, Liverpool Central Library and the striking Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.
Image: Liverpool's three graces (Credit: Liverpool World Heritage)
