Mathew Street, Cavern Quarter - Liverpool

Project Overview

Located in the Cavern Quarter at the heart of the city, notable as the location of the new Cavern Club, Mathew Street is Liverpool’s most famous street. The street hosts thousands of tourists a year who visit the attractions and references to the Beatles, who played in the original Cavern Club on numerous occasions in their early career. The area is used to celebrate Liverpool’s musical heritage, with statues, stores, and the Liverpool Beatles Museum dedicated to the band. The area is a hotspot for bars and pubs, and the streets are often full of locals and tourists.
The five Cavern Quarter Archways which decorate and signpost the entrances to the Cavern Quarter have been fully restored and enhanced by AE Farrell Contracting, appointed by the Liverpool BID Company. This refurbishment is the first time the gateways have been retouched since their installation 30 years ago, and have been stripped back repainted, and enhanced with the addition of LEDs. Liverpool BID Company appointed LITE Architectural to supply the lighting solutions from their extensive portfolio of products, working with partner Signify as a system integrator to deliver the correct solutions to meet the brief.
LITE selected iColor Flex LMX multi-coloured LEDs to illuminate the perimeter of the archways. These flexible strands of high-intensity LEDs can be individually controlled for dynamic light displays which fit into the celebratory pub atmosphere of the area. The colourful light displays were previewed with the client to ensure they were happy with the final selection, but can be changed at a later date and remotely controlled to mark events and occasions, including the upcoming Eurovision 2023 celebrations held in Liverpool.
Each archway is unique with slight differences, and LITE created a bespoke solution to each archway that was customised to suit its individual features and exceed the client’s expectations. MaxiPUNCH 102 in static 3000K light was selected as a compact central design spotlight to highlight the name plate of Mathew Street and The Cavern Quarter, controlled by a Philips iPlayer 3 Controller. The bright white lights accentuate the sign writing and signage, and the lighting design highlights the gateways to draw people to them, showcasing the area from the main street to encourage visitors.

Testimonial

Leanne McAnespie, Project Manager at Liverpool BID Company,
“I’m so pleased and proud to unveil the newly restored and upgraded Cavern Quarter Gateway Arches. These structures have been part of the Cavern’s identity for 30 years, but they were in need of some care and modernisation.
“The collaboration between the team at LITE and AE Farrell Contracting has really brought the structures back to life. The lighting solutions supplied by LITE have illuminated the gateways in a striking way, catching the eye of visitors and providing an incredible atmosphere. We are thrilled that the project has been lit up in time for Christmas, providing a fun and festive atmosphere for the local community and visitors.”