Liverpool's waterfront is one of the most varied and dramatic landscapes in the North West. Over the years it's developed and changed along with the economic and social development of the city.

One of the Three Graces

The winning of Capital Of Culture for Liverpool has accelerated the growth of the waterfront as a visitor attraction. The Albert Dock is renowned for classy bars and restaurants and is one of the Liverpool places to be seen. BabyCream is the latest addition to the area sitting alongside Blue and The Pan American Bar. Chris Brown is Sector Director for Tourism on Merseyside for the Mersey Parnership, "The waterfront itself is the catalyst that will really position Liverpool and Merseyside internationally. That's what we've got to exploit and deliver."

The Mersey Partnership has an overall development plan for the waterfront area. Their ambition is for the waterfront to develop as in other major cities, Toronto, Dublin and Bilbao. Sara Wilde chair of Mersey Waterfront says "We're already seeing a fantastic transformation. It has real emotional resonance, the great thing about Merseyside is the spread of the waterffront people are drawn to it"

The Liverpool waterfront

Rachel Mulhearn is the Curator of Maritime Collections at Merseyside Maritime Museum, and she understands the pull of the river, "A huge amount of families in Liverpool have people who were involved in the port. That is very much embedded in the culture of the city and the reason why we have such a diverse and cosmopolitan community"

Boarding the Mersey ferry

The Mersey Ferries are one of the most recognisable features of the river. Captain James Vaas has worked on the ferries for 33 years he says it's changed considerably "We used to carry people going to work or shopping, now people come to enjoy the trip we're no longer just a glorrified bus service."

Part of the work taking place on the river itself is the process of cleaning. Dr Amanda Wright is Research and Information Officer for the Mersey Basin Campaign, she says it's a long job "With the Mersey we have so much historical legacy of industrial neglect and pollution."

The Seaforth Docks

The waterfront isn't only a place of play, it's rapidly becoming home for many people, actress and comedian Pauline Daniels lives in a waterfront apartment in Birkenhead,she says "The view's amazing. We get to look at the most fantastic waterfront in the world."

With the building of a Fourth Grace and plans for a regional park there's likely to be many more changes on Liverpool's waterfront in the next few years.