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Sep 30, 2023

Brookside actor to turn Royal Daffodil into restaurant, hotel

The Royal Daffodil was a Mersey Ferry until it was decommissioned in 2012.

The Royal Daffodil was a Mersey Ferry until it was decommissioned in 2012. Credit: via planning documents

Liverpool City Council has voted to approve Philip Oliver's plans to convert the former Mersey ferry into a "premier floating food and drink destination".

Oliver, who rose to fame portraying Tim "Tinhead" O’Leary on the Liverpool-based soap opera Brookside, is the director of Liverpool City Ship – the company that put forward the plans for the Royal Daffodil reconfiguration.

Constructed in 1958 by Cammell Laird Shipbuilders and decommissioned in 2012, the ferry is currently undergoing refurbishment after it fell into a "dilapidated condition", according to the council's planning officers.

Liverpool City Council gave a green light to the project at the planning committee meeting on 6 June. This was the second time the boat had been on the committee's agenda, having been on the docket for the April meeting but not discussed so that the applicant could gather additional information.

With permission secured, the Royal Daffodil is now set to be permanently moored in Canning Dock. The ferry's promenade deck will become a 1,900 sq ft saloon bar with 2,300 sq ft outside drinking space.

Going onto the main deck, there will be a 126-cover seafood restaurant 1,800 sq ft of external space.

The ferry's lower deck would hold around 13 hotel rooms, while 400 sq ft of the bridge deck would become a dedicated heritage museum.

Liverpool City Ship's proposals would also allow the Royal Daffodil to be rented out for corporate events, weddings, live music events, conferences and more.

Liverpool City Ship is working closely with its agent Warrington-based IF Building Consultancy on the scheme. The project team also includes mechanical engineer CP Hood, noise consultant CSG Acoustics, drainage advisor Buxton Water, and electrical engineer PN Daly.

You can learn more about the project by searching reference number 22F/1399 on the Liverpool City Council planning portal.

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If Mick Johnson and Sinbad are on the door, I’m there.

By TSB

Once again a pretty woeful, and moribund planning agenda with little evidence of Liverpool emerging from it's development drought. Surely you don't need to convene a full meeting to discuss such an ordinary looking and low profile selection of applications.

By Anonymous

Let's just hope the thickness and integrity of the hull are considered!!

By Piermaster

Good for him. I’m pleased he's making something out of the old boat and it's a bonus it's a restaurant. Hope it's a very successful.

By Michelle

Liverpool's tourism economy is the strongest in the north. There is nowhere else can provide such a strong offer of history, culture, heritage, entertainment, seaside, and good fun!

By Liverpool Bay

Claiming a spot as a top five city for growth in nearly all of the consultancy's sector studies – including top marks for half – Manchester reaffirmed its status as a hotspot for development and investment.

Peel L&P and Tungsten Properties’ redevelopment of part of the former Cammell Laird shipyard has been tipped for approval by the local authority.