Exclusive: 'Five star restaurant for Cunard Building'

MAYOR Joe Anderson today revealed to Liverpool Confidential that he wants to see the ornate ground floor of Liverpool’s world famous Cunard Building transformed into a five-star restaurant.

The restaurant would match the very best available on the great Cunard liners, said Mayor Anderson, who once worked for the shipping line as a deckhand. 

Just weeks ago, Mayor Anderson was handed the keys to the Pier Head building after it was purchased by the city council. 

A painting by West Kirby born
artist Robert Lloyd is unvelied
The stunning décor of the ground floor – originally built as Cunard’s first class baggage hall for wealthy passengers heading for North America – has ensured it will be preserved and protected as a highest level listed building. 

The restaurant at the front of the building and the existing baggage hall as a check-in for the city’s cruise liner terminal, would act an impressive front door for Liverpool, said the Mayor. 

He was at the Cunard Building to welcome executives from Southampton-based Cunard to give more details of next year’s 175^th anniversary of the company’s first trans-Atlantic sailing from Liverpool to the New World. 

The glory days: Top nosh restaurant vision for Cunard Building's ground floor

The big party will see Cunard’s big three, Queen Mary, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, all in the Mersey at the same time for what will is being billed as a once-in-a-lifetime event. It is already predicted the event could be the biggest ever on Merseyside, attracting two to three million visitors from across the world. 

Cunard Director Angus Struthers (main pic with Joe Anderson, top) announced a further 150 tickets were being made available for the anniversary sailing from Liverpool to North America aboard the flagship  Queen Mary, leaving the Pier Head on the exact anniversary of the first crossing, July 4, for the 10-night crossing to  Halifax, Boston and New York.  The sailing will be the first Cunard departure from Liverpool since 1968 when the company jumped ship and moved its HQ to Southampton. 

There are currently no plans to repeat this historic journey and the extra seats – priced from around £3,000 to over £6,000 per person – are expected to sell like hot cakes. 

Asked by Liverpool Confidential if the Mayor of Southampton will be invited to the Cunard celebrations at the Pier Head, Mayor Anderson said: “Of course the Mayor will be most welcome, and so will the leader of Southampton City Council.” 

The two sea ports have been engaged in a long standing war of words over funding for Liverpool’s cruise terminal. 

Mr Struthers said: “Liverpool is the spiritual home of Cunard so I am delighted to see the city play a key role in our celebrations next year. What we have planned in May and July next year will surely be among the most special, days that will live long in the memories of those who will be there to witness the events, whether on board our ships or along the Mersey.”

Mayor Anderson said the three Cunard liners all in the river at the same time will be the big highlight of 2015.

The romance of the cruise

 “The three Cunard Queens coming to Liverpool is recognition of our re-emergence as a cruise port,” said the Mayor.

A painting by West Kirby born artist Robert Lloyd (above) was unveiled today, showing the Queen Mary in Liverpool with Cunard’s first ocean-going ship, the Britannia, in the foreground. The painting will be used on the cover of Cunard’s 175^th anniversary book, with the painting taking pride of place aboard the Queen Mary.