Liverpool Serves Up an Ace

For tennis fans, the past few weeks have produced some really exciting international action.  The man on form is the 12 time grand slam winner Rafael Nadal whose French Open win last month gave him his sixth title of the year and his eight title of the competition.  Not bad considering he only came back from a serious injury in February which side lined him for nearly eight months.

The Spaniard looks in great shape as he heads to Wimbledon next week.  But will the top seed’s troublesome knee hold up to give him thirteenth grand slam title? Or will Novak Djokovic, one of only two people who have beaten Nadal this year in 45 matches, reign supreme?  The excitement and drama are tangible!

Closer to home, we’ve got our own tennis event to look forward starting tomorrow.  The Liverpool International Tennis Tournament will be taking place at Calderstones Park from 20th-23rd June, and One Park West is proud to be sponsoring the event once again.

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100,000 People Enjoy a Weekend of Culture and Music on the Waterfront

Summer 2013 in Liverpool is set to be as fun and vibrant as ever with a packed schedule of events planned throughout the city over the next few months.

Just on the doorstep of One Park West, the Waterfront has already been a hive of activity with the recent celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic and 25th anniversary of the Albert Dock regeneration.

Last weekend marked the last of the Mersey River Festival’s three consecutive weekends of maritime celebrations, and was the biggest of them all.  The river and the Liverpool Waterfront came alive with activity as vessels, from historic sailing vessels to modern boats of all sizes, gathered from around the country to celebrate Britain’s maritime industry.  The boats aside, there was a whole heap of other stuff going on including aerobatic displays, live street theatre, arts and crafts, make and do, water sports spectacles and a range of music for the thousands of visitors to enjoy.

One of the highlights was watching the spectacular skills of 14 of the world’s best wakeboarders as they battled it out in the city’s iconic Albert Dock to become the Red Bull Harbour Reach Champion 2013.  Australia’s 18 year old James Windsor was eventually crowned champion after the thrilling grand final.

And if that wasn’t enough to keep you occupied, the return of the live ‘Music on the Waterfront’ event also took place on Friday night at the Pier Head.  With music from soul to rock and blue, the home grown talent included Mercury Music Prize winner Terri Walker, big band artist Neville Skelly, Jon Casey Blues Band, pianist Victoria Sharpe and jazz group Tipitina as well as our own Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

Then on Saturday night, the Smooth Radio ‘Love Live Music on the Waterfront’ concert once again took place on the outdoor stage in front on the Liver Building.  Headlined by top tenor Russell Watson and Brit Award winner KT Tunstall, the other artists included Katie Melua, The Christians, American singer/songwriter Nell Bryden, Lighthouse Family frontman Tude Baiyews, Jack Savoretti and Thea Gilmore .

It doesn’t get much better than thousands of music lovers making the most of a free live music event in the unbeatable surroundings of our World Heritage Site.  Well, perhaps it does when it all takes place in glorious sunshine and only a short stroll from your luxury apartment.  We enjoyed a great weekend on the Waterfront especially dancing on the dockside before returning to our apartment for a night cap on the balcony overlooking the action – just another thing to love about living at One Park West and in one the UK’s most musically significant cities.

Liverpool Landlords Reap the Rewards

It’s official and it’s great news for landlords in Liverpool – Liverpool has been listed as one of the top ten cities in the UK for landlords looking to receive a healthy return on their property investments.

The new report from HSBC confirms that rents on private homes are soaring and are on average 4.2% higher than they were in March 2012.  Buy-to-let landlords in Liverpool are amongst the best placed, achieving returns of nearly 7% on their investments – that’s a much better return than if they’d put their money into a savings account instead.

According to the report, the average property price in Liverpool is £91,012.  And for potential investors looking to get into the buy-to-let market in Liverpool, One Park West has a range of luxury apartments available with prices starting from just £90,000.

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It Doesn’t Get Much Better Than This…

The benefits of living in Liverpool don’t need highlighting to those of us who are lucky enough to live in this wonderful city, but it’s really nice when our city gets national recognition for the great place it is.

Just recently, Liverpool was named as the UK’s friendliest city, the best nightlife and with one of the fastest growing economies outside London.  Most recently it was also voted the second safest city in the UK.  It makes for an impressive list – who wouldn’t want to live here?

On the back of these accolades, we thought we’d list the things that we think make living at One Park West and Liverpool city living so desirable:

1.       The Nightlife

Liverpool’s nightlife is legendary.  With a thriving live music and comedy scene along with great clubs, bars and restaurants, it’s no surprise the Liverpool reigns as Britain’s party capital.

2.       Buildings

Liverpool has the largest collection of Grade II listed buildings outside London with 2,500 listed buildings and 250 public monuments.  The Anglican cathedral is the UK’s largest cathedral and the fifth largest in the world and looking out from One Park West onto the Three Graces has to be one of the most sought after city centre views in the country.

3.       Music

“We’re record breakers!” Liverpool holds the title in the Guinness Book of Records as the Capital of Pop as more number one artists have originated in the city than any other place in the UK.      Also, the annual Mathew Street Festival Music Festival held every August Bank Holiday is the largest city centre-based free music festival in Europe.  We can recommend it highly!

4.       Space

Even in the city centre, Liverpool isn’t too crowded.  With the most public parks outside of London and with the famous Albert Dock, where the rich heritage meets modern attractions, only a short stroll from the city centre and One Park West, you’re never far from open space.  There’s the buzz without the jam-packing.

5.       History

In 2007, Liverpool celebrated its 800th birthday.  Now recognised as a World Heritage City, the city’s Pier Head rates alongside Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China as one of the world’s most important places in the world.  Liverpool also has the oldest Chinatown in the world and the eight museums and galleries that make up National Museums Liverpool boast the greatest collection of artefacts, paintings, specimens and objects held under single ownership in the country.  For the culture vultures amongst us, there’s certainly plenty to keep us occupied.

6.       Retail

The shopping in our city is undoubtedly world class – amongst the dazzling new city centre shopping centres, the unique Liverpool One is one of Europe’s largest retail developments and the jewel in the crown.  On the doorstep of One Park West, Liverpool One offers shoppers a choice of over more than 160 famous high street names.   It’s a shopaholic’s paradise.

We could go on.  And whilst we can’t speak for all of Liverpool’s 450,000 residents, we think it’s these magical qualities that make living at One Park West in the heart of Liverpool’s city centre so desirable.

 

Live the Liverpool Lifestyle

We’ve all seen the films where the ambitious girl moves to a big city, has a rocky start but ends up with her dream job and the perfect boyfriend. As much as the One Park West girls love a chick flick, we know that’s a bit of a cliché.

Or is it? Liverpool may not be as big as New York or London, but you certainly can live the city lifestyle here.   Today, Liverpool is one of the fastest growing economies in the UK. The city is booming with regeneration projects and employment prospects are on the up. Did you know that Liverpool’s iconic docks are now home to more than 500 marine organisations alone?

Liverpool is not just about its famous docks, the city is also home to a financial hub which employs over 16,000 locals in more than 2,000 companies as well as a prestigious Institute of Performing Arts  and a thriving creative sector.

There are undoubtedly ‘high flying’ jobs in the city, but what about matching Carrie Bradshaw’s city lifestyle. Let’s start with the apartment…that’s easy!

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The Horse, The Whip and The Wardrobe

The Aintree April race festival is certainly a key date circled in our diaries, year after year we follow the tradition of getting dressed up to the nines and praying for the sunshine to make an appearance. Well, after the recent snow storm we are all at a fluster trying to decide what to wear to this year’s event.

Many of the ladies at One Park West HQ have bought spring dresses and extravagant hats, whilst the men have invested in new shirts and brightly coloured ties. However, after this crazy weather we’re not sure if we should dig out our wellies and fur hats!

 

Ladies day at Aintree is renowned for weird and wonderful outfits. Did anyone see the hat made of donuts, the dress made from a union jack flag or even the man in a onzie last year? It is also a sure bet you’ll spot celebrities at Aintree races, the Rooney’s and Alex Curran are always papped looking glamorous.

Well, if you’re stuck for something to wear there is plenty of places in Liverpool: first stop is Liverpool One of course, also Liverpool’s super high street and great little boutiques in the cavern walks. When you live (and work) at One Park West it sure does come in handy to be able to pop back and to drop off the shopping bags when you can’t carry any more, followed by nipping out for a drink with the girls to celebrate the victory of finding THE outfit.

There are also plenty of places around One Park West to relax post racing and maybe spend some of those hard earned winnings.  Or perhaps, just enjoy a little bit of people watching from your window over the city, as girls waltz around in flip flops after a long day in killer heels and men splash their cash after a successful day.

 

However, the real winners this weekend are those who have managed to grab one of our remaining city centre apartments starting from £90,000, now that’s a great result!

THE PERILS OF PRICEY PARKING!

There’s nothing more frustrating when you arrive home either with a boot full of shopping or after a long day in the office to find there are no parking spaces nearby; the last thing you want to be doing is driving round and round the block looking for a parking spot.

Incredibly 60% of motorists spend between six and twenty minutes looking for a space – what a waste of precious time in our busy lives.   And there’s nothing worse than having to disturb your weekend lie-in to rush out in your pyjamas to pop more money in the meter to avoid a penalty ticket.  We’ve all done it!

And if spending time looking for a space isn’t bad enough, the cost of parking just seems to be going up and up.  In fact, a recent survey shows that more than three quarters (78%) of motorists spend at least £150 on parking charges each month with another survey ranking Liverpool as the fifth most expensive UK city to park in.

To have access to a permanent car parking space in Liverpool city centre could set you back as much as £5,278 a year or some new developments are selling car parking slots for up to £20,000.  And it’s a cost that’s only going to keep going up – last year parking charges rose by a whopping 12.5% with the average cost per hour to park in a city hitting £12.

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Liverpool’s Famous Faces

How sad to hear of the death of Richard Briers earlier in the week at the age of 79.  Yet Liverpool should be proud to celebrate the role it played in the life and career of one of Britain’s most respected and loved actors.  Best remembered for his role as Tom Good alongside Felicity Kendal in the 1970s sitcom The Good Life, Richard actually began his acting career at the Liverpool Playhouse.

Over the years, there has been a great number of famous people who have lived in Liverpool and been influenced by the city’s unique heritage and culture. So to celebrate Liverpool’s stars, we’ve compiled a list of the city’s most famous sons and daughters from the world of music, sport and entertainment.

  • Music Legends The Beatles                                     

Topping the list has to be The Beatles.  It was the early 1960s when John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr rose to fame, ‘normal’ boys who lived and first played their music in Liverpool.  By 1963, Beatlemania was widespread across the UK and in 1964 they took America by storm and put Liverpool right at the heart of fashion and music.

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WHAT TO DO ON VALENTINE’S DAY?

Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. So whether you’re in a relationship or not, we have some advice to make sure you have the perfect night, even if it’s with someone special or just your friends.

Many of us feel the pressure of trying to arrange a faultless evening out for a loved one, finding that perfect restaurant, organising transport so cocktails can be enjoyed or even trying to avoid any awkward PDA’s (Public Display of Affection).

Here at One Park West with our lovely apartments, we think staying in is so much better than going out.  So to help you organise your perfect evening in, we have five tips on how to plan a memorable night without stepping one foot outside your front door.

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APARTMENTS FIT FOR A FUTURE KING

As the Prince of Wales makes a welcomed visit to Liverpool this week, we are reminded how Liverpool really is fit for a king.

One Park West’s Signature Apartment

Prince Charles was in Liverpool as part of his UK tour celebrating the best of British engineering and manufacturing.  On Monday, he visited the Jaguar Land Rover Halewood plant, Knowsley Primary School, a number of local employers and opened the recently restored Florence Institute for Boys (“Florrie”).

Liverpool’s official history and royal connections date as far back as King John in 1207.  At the time the population was only 500, now the vibrant city has grown to be one of the most iconic places in the UK with a global reputation for sport, industry and music.  For those of us who are lucky enough to live here, Liverpool really is an exciting place to work, rest and play.

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