Lark Lane Area

[knowhowe]

Uh-uh. Keith's was originally just the one next door. They grew into the corner one- a former butcher's- later. I, too, remember it opening and being made up as they stayed open half an hour after the Albert closed so you could nip across for a quick last one in there- even though it was wine... (hadn't then developed the boundless appetitite for the stuff I have now!)
Their food was brilliant though, right from the start (couldn't say how it is now) and was cheap enough for even students and dole-ites to eat there regularly. My regular snacks were their soup or pate and bread. Also the cheesecake was gorgeous.
Keith's was the first of its kind in the lane. There were no other wine bars / restaurants / who knows what like there are today. It was all much more work-a-day shops.
Ah, the Albert and Masonic. I tended to inhabit the former mostly. It was a toss-up, however, which of them had the most mardy barmaids- a breed only found in Liverpool pubs who seemed to consider everyone under the age of 40 a 'student' and treated them accordingly..
I was later involved in a business in Lark Lane (does anyone remember it?) called 'Curiouser and Curiouser'. It was a weird mixture of junk shop- postcards, wind-up gramophones, old bottles, crap from Paddy's Market- second-hand bookshop and leather goods emporium- that was my bit. I had a tiny workshop at the back but, weather allowing, preferred to sit and make my stuff outside the front of the shop. Used to make belts, handbags, sandals etc. It was a decent living all in all. (Strangely, after pursuing a photographic career for the last couple of decades, I've just got back into the leather and am again enjoying it greatly).

http://www.bwpics.co.uk/leather.html

Later was a member of the Liverpool Wholefood Collective (later 'Dancing Cat Wholefoods') which started out in a small room in the old Police Station before later moving to Lodge Lane.
Later again, after a long spell in London I lived for a while in a spectacularly squalid squat round the corner in Linnet Lane- a vast house with, apparently, no known owner.
Don't get back to visit the Lane very often now but always immediately feel at home there when I do.

[samanthacheryl]

I used to visit the Cafe Francais from 1991-1997 on a fairly regular basis, I loved it SO much. I then moved away from the area and when I moved near the Lane in '06; Fallen Angel was there.

That place was so great inside, loved the atmosphere and the food; for me it was the best Cafe ever. Can anybody tell me when it closed?

[Waterways]

I used to visit the Cafe Francais from 1991-1997 on a fairly regular basis, I loved it SO much. I then moved away from the area and when I moved near the Lane in '06; Fallen Angel was there.

That place was so great inside, loved the atmosphere and the food; for me it was the best Cafe ever. Can anybody tell me when it closed?

Look at posts 50 and 54 on this thread. I liked that place too.

[samanthacheryl]

I had a look at those posts. I have never been to L'Alouette (although I wanted to and just never got round to it!) that was on the opposite side. This was the upstairs Cafe and French deli downstairs (number 93), Is that the one you mean? I have some pics of it, have to upload them on the forum.
The cakes they sold were absolutely gorgeous...

[GingerTheCat]

I just saw the following in the latest minutes of the council 3 parks committee meeting.

Motion by Councillor John Coyne –

This Committee considers that Lark Lane has become saturated with licensed premises which are at such a concentration as to create a public nuisance and impact on crime and disorder.



This Committee notes that section 10 of the Liverpool City Council Licensing Policy Statement, 7 January 2005, allows for the creation of a special licensing policy for a local area which suffers from too high a density of licensed premises.



This Committee requests Licensing Officers to prepare a case for a special licensing policy to protect the area of Lark Lane.

_____

Amendment by Councillor Paul Clein, duly seconded



That the Motion be approved with the addition of another paragraph requesting the Licensing Officers to liaise with Merseyside Police to see if there is a basis for a Cumulative Impact Policy.



During the course of the debate the first Amendment was accepted and became the Substantive Motion.

_____



Second Amendment by Councillor Peter Allen, duly seconded



That the Substantive Motion be approved with the addition of Licensing Officers contacting Councillor Elaine Allen with regard to current work she has undertaken regarding this issue.



During the course of the debate the second Amendment was accepted and became the Substantive Motion and was resolved accordingly.

[joe scouse]

This is on the side wall of the former Masonic pub.

MY OLD LARK LANE
The corner of bickerton st which is now part of the pub was a green grocer shop by the name of cheers,i lived straight across the road in the maroon painted building the other pics one of christ church hall was used by the boys club of lark lane,the two buildings one on the corner of siddley st an antiqe shop, and the other is now a pub facing down bickerton st was owned by the same family,mind you this was all 60yrs ago loved it then not now.
ta for the pics and comments on the lane joe

[gorgeous]

Do any of you remember Robbo the punk ?, He was a familiar site down the lane with his dog & his skateboard.

Karen

[joe scouse]

I've been In Keith's a few times, well continental looking place.

Lol my dad used to have a second hand furniture shop In Lark Lane when I was a kid, It's now a pub which name I forget, It's opposite the former Masonic.

That shop years ago after the war was used as a second hand clothing shop the family that run it also had the select furniture shop on Siddley st (now ,the chilli banana,cheers joe

[joe scouse]

I am certain that you will have meet-ups with people from this site. You and your friend will be made welcome when you come here again. You are right about Lark Lane, it's a great area with nice pubs and restaurants.
About once a month, they close it to have a 'farmer's market' ~ Wow ! All kinds of interesting foods are sold there. (even for vegetarians. )

Do you remember the library at the bottom of Lark Lane ?

Yes it was facing the mayfair picture house on aigburth rd ,i worked in it for short tome sorting the books out ,joe

[corky100]

Just thought I'd add wheteher people ere aware that there is a small recording studio just off Lark Lane. Bands who recorded there include OMD, Arctic Monkeys, Atomic Kitten, The Coral and The Zutons.

Its owned by the OMD Frontman, Andy McCluskey. OMD are working on a new album there at the moment.

Remember the old Motor Museum?

[arrr_bob]

Just thought I'd add wheteher people ere aware that there is a small recording studio just off Lark Lane. Bands who recorded there include OMD, Arctic Monkeys, Atomic Kitten, The Coral and The Zutons.

Its owned by the OMD Frontman, Andy McCluskey. OMD are working on a new album there at the moment.

Remember the old Motor Museum?

Not forgetting Atomic Kitten

The Motor Museum Recording Studio

[Punkster]

So what do people think of the new Pablo's?

I don't think it fits in at all - hope this isn't the way the lane's going!

Oh, and hi by the way!

[kdraper42]

Nice photos Kev. I did live off Lark Lane many years ago up until I was 21, we left there in 1962. I lived in Bickerton St number 55 right at the bottom which isnt there now and a new housing corperation estate was built on the site. I have visited it many times over the years when coming home on holiday, all of those restaurants were very different shops in those days. Many Peoples comments saying about the feel of the place, just brings back memories that I felt all those years ago It always had a village feel to it. Anyway I digress as I always tend to do . I will write some more later about my memories in the Lane. Cheers Keith. PS I should mention that I now live in Melbourne Australia.

[kdraper42]

Hi its me again, the shop that Joe Scouse mentions was run by a family called Martins ( corner of Sydley Street) the shop that they had in Lark lane was a brick a brack shop. I remember when I was about 12-14 yrs old going every Saturday to the Silver blades ice rink Kensington, with a girl from Hesketh street , and one day looking in the window of the forsaid shop in Lark Lane a pair of iceskates for sale !!! albeit in beige !! obviously a girls pair of skates, but I wanted them !! the asking price was if I remember 16 shillings, well I went home and told my mum about them , well she said no at first , but in the end I won her over and off I went to buy these skates, I took them home and my mum dyed them for me to a navy blue, although they did get too small for me after about 2 months, but it did save on hiring skates from the rink. Oh so many memories. Cheers Keith.

[Mikerux]

Kdraper-that rings a bell-weren't you a mate of Dave Foley??