New, authentic and unique addition to Beatles tourism opens in September 2019, Responsible tourism arrives on Merseyside

With the opening of Strawberry Field, Liverpool now offers a unique and exciting attraction to members of the travel trade. Strawberry Field, a responsible tourism offering with a difference, opens its iconic red gates in Liverpool in September 2019. Catering for both FIT’s and group tours, Strawberry Field makes a visit to Liverpool even more compelling for the hundreds of millions of Beatle fans around the world. This new heritage attraction complements other significant Liverpool Beatles venues such as the award-winning The Beatles Story, the Cavern Club, and the Magical Mystery Tour. However, the appeal of this destination is wide, a place of tranquillity as well as history, with a socially responsible function. At its heart is the training hub, which will offer opportunities to local young people with learning disabilities and other barriers to employment.

Strawberry Field, the iconic location immortalised by John Lennon in The Beatles hit, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, is the site of the former Salvation Army children’s home where John Lennon, who lived near by with his aunt, found solace as a child playing in the grounds.

Strawberry Field includes an authentic inter-active exhibition where “nothing is real!” complete with Media Guides in multiple languages, exploring stories new and old of the

site’s history and heritage, John Lennon's childhood, and the writing and recording of the famous song as told by John’s close friends and family. At the heart of the new visitor experience are the gardens, where John played as a child – “no one I think is in my tree”.  Your visitors will be following in John’s footsteps.  The Imagine More Café provides light refreshments as well as lunch and early dinner menus. The shop stocks an exciting and unique range of Strawberry Field merchandise.

UNIQUE AND RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

In addition to the Visitor Exhibition Strawberry Field houses “Steps to Work”, a significant training centre for young adults with learning disabilities and other barriers to employment, enabling them to learn a trade and find meaningful work experience. The Visitor Experience offers these young people vital work placements in catering, retail and visitor management. All funds generated by the Visitor Experience will go into supporting the operation of this much-needed training centre.

EXPLORE, UNWIND, DREAM, BE INSPIRED

Strawberry Field will also be a place of spiritual exploration and discovery, offering the visitor a thought-provoking tour of the gardens John Lennon knew and loved, a place where he could escape the problems of his young life. The benefits of spending time in fresh air, and with nature, are a bonus for all types of visitor, whatever their reason for coming to Liverpool. Explore, unwind and dream in the place, which inspired one of the 20th century’s greatest songwriters.

Julia Baird, John Lennon’s sister and Honorary President of the Strawberry Field project, said: “I am sure that John would have been thrilled that Strawberry Field is to become a bastion of hope for young adults as well as an inspirational Visitor Experience.”

Strawberry Field is owned and operated by The Salvation Army. The church and charity hopes to continue inspiring future generations to come.

Julius Wolff-Ingham, Fundraising and Marketing Director for The Salvation Army, said: “Strawberry Field will weave together educational, cultural, heritage and spiritual exploration in one bold, imaginative site. It’s going to be a vibrant visitor experience, which we hope will inspire people today as much as the place inspired the young John Lennon.”

Chris Brown, Director of Marketing Liverpool, said: “The Beatles are and will remain a huge draw for our international visitors, underlined by the phenomenal level of interest we continue to receive from media and travel trade contacts across the world. That is set to increase even further with the opening of Strawberry Field. In knowing the concept and experience that will be delivered there, we have no doubts that this is going to be a fantastic new addition to the city’s offer, and that it will have a significant economic and social impact.”

Strawberry Field is around 15 minutes’ drive from Liverpool city centre. Drop off and pick up parking spaces will be available as well as nearby coach parking. Travel trade professionals will have access to dedicated staff who will organise all aspects of group visits and group organisers/tour leaders will get free access to the exhibition.

Media enquiries please contact: 

Laura Taylor, Marketing & Communications Manager

laura.taylor@savalvationarmy.org.uk Tel: +44(0)7770 092552

More information including group features, booking details and prices can be found at www.strawberryfieldliverpool.com/travel-trade

 

For travel trade commission rates and bookings please contact:

Ginette Goulston-Lincoln, Travel Trade Consultant

ginette@goulston-lincoln.com Tel:  +44(0)20 7923 0807 or +44(0)7958 448 002

 

Location

16 Beaconsfield Rd, Woolton, Liverpool L25 6EJ
15-20 minutes’ drive from Liverpool city centre
Round the corner from Mendips (Lennon’s childhood home)

Further references

Liverpool tourism and accommodation: www.visitliverpool.com 

Beatles Liverpool: www.visitliverpool.com/things-to-do/the-beatles

Website: http://strawberryfieldliverpool.com

 

Editor’s Notes

Other important information about Strawberry Field – its history and future vision:

• Strawberry Field was gifted to the Salvation Army in 1934. The organisation opened its doors in 1936 and for nearly 70 years the site supported some of Liverpool’s most vulnerable children until it closed in 2005. Central to the site’s new vision is a “Steps to Work” programme, which consists of an 8 week work readiness course followed by 3 separate work placements; each entailing two days of education and two days of work per week.
• The structured education programme has a strong emphasis on building practical skills and self-esteem; it includes basic elements like literacy, numeracy and IT, plus life skills such as teamwork, communication and taking responsibility. Trainees will also study for recognised vocational qualifications that employers know and value.
• Students at the hub will train in vocational areas such as catering, retail, visitor experience, and horticulture. Importantly, they will receive opportunities for work placements to build skills and confidence that will lead to meaningful volunteering and sustainable employment opportunities.
• Strawberry Field’s visitor experience will include an exhibition area, café and shop. The gardens and grounds of Strawberry Field will be redeveloped and offer a magical experience to visitors who can follow in the footsteps of the young John Lennon.
• The very latest technologies will be adopted to create an exhibition where visitors will enter a space where “nothing is real” as they experience the wondrous, intertwined histories of the house, John Lennon, and the writing and recording of the iconic song. The gardens will be filled with messages of peace and love that will inspire visitors as Lennon himself was inspired.

About the Salvation Army:

• The Salvation Army is a church and charity, working in 128 countries around the world, demonstrating Christian principles through practical support and friendship to people of all ages, backgrounds and needs.
• In the UK and Ireland, The Salvation Army includes 50,000 members, 4,000 employees and 1,500 Salvation Army officers.

Strawberry Field ticks all the boxes for today’s traveller:

• Totally unique and authentic
• A total immersion experience with specialist media guide
• Strawberry Field is where John Lennon played as a child and where the roots of the song are found. It opens a window into Lennon's childhood
• Responsible tourism - supports the training of young adults with learning disabilities and other barriers to employment

Group features:

• Group are parties of 10 or more 
• Limited number of group 'garden only' tours available
• Group organiser/leader admitted free of charge
• Coach drivers and group leaders receive a free hot drink 
• Groups can spend anything from 1 – 1.5 hours exploring exhibition, shop, gardens and café
• Dedicated staff to organise all aspects of your visit 
• Coach drop off at site
• Local coach parking – details soon

Average duration: 1 hour - 1 hour and 30 minute