LONDON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Liverpool's Cavern Quarter, world famous as the birthplace of the world's most famous band, the Beatles, was Friday designated as a special zone to protect its importance as an international tourism destination.
A decision by City Hall means the narrow streets around Mathew Street, home of the world-famous music venue the Cavern Club, where the Beatles performed in the 1960s, will be carefully managed and planned as the epicenter of Liverpool's music heritage.
Liverpool, already designated as a UNESCO City of Music, is home to a music heritage industry, centered around the Beatles, and worth more than 117 million U.S. dollars a year to the city economy.
A report Friday to the city hall cabinet said a new tourism study found visitors are increasingly looking for a quality experiential visit. It aims to address the need for the city to curate a clearer proposition around Liverpool's pivotal role in the story of popular and contemporary music.
Recommendations in the report say new measures will help attract new investment, celebrate the current music scene and enable the city to steer the future use of existing buildings in the area, originally home to dockside warehouses and taverns.
Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said: "Liverpool's musical heritage is an asset of global significance. This master plan presents an opportunity to provide an experience which celebrates that unique offer and showcases the current scene."
Peter Hooton, singer with local chart-topping band, the Farm, who is chair of the Beatles Legacy Group, said: "The Cavern Quarter is home to numerous historical sites that have shaped the City's music, and cultural heritage. We need to protect and develop these sites in order to enhance these world famous attractions and to ensure Liverpool celebrates the past but also enables the creative industries to thrive in the future."
