A new Mediterranean-themed roof garden is opening at Liverpool’s Blackstock Market

A brand new Mediterranean-themed roof garden is coming to Liverpool’s Blackstock Market just in time for long sunny days.

Blackstock Market, which is home to Hot Water Comedy Club as well as live music and food traders, has been working on its outdoor space since last autumn.

Now with a giant pergola, thousands of pounds worth of greenery and seating for up to 220 getting installed, it’s preparing to launch on the weekend of April 12 & 13.

With views of the city – and Everton’s new Bramley Moore Dock stadium – the roof garden will feature a huge music stage and a state-of-the-art sound system.

There’ll also be a nod to one of Liverpool’s favourite European destinations, Barcelona, with an outdoor mural created specially by artist John Culshaw combining our famous skyline with Barca’s Park Guell.

Blackstock Roof Garden is the latest addition to the multi-level venue which transformed a former glass bottle making factory on Blackstock Street.

Locally owned, it opened last spring and Paul Blair, director of Hot Water Comedy Club, says he and his brother always intended to make the roof one of its most impressive spaces.

He said:

“As soon as we got the building we knew we wanted to create a roof terrace, even though the roof was full of holes at the time, but we’ve actually made it double the size of what we’d planned. The venue capacity is 1500-1600, and this is another 220 on top of that, so it’s like another whole venue being added.

“It took us nearly three years to complete Blackstock Market so we paused work on the roof while we did that, then about six months ago we could finally start on it. 

“We’ve gone with a Mediterranean theme and it’s going to look amazing up there, completely unique to Liverpool – even the seating has been rendered so it makes it look like the stone seats you’d find in Santorini.”

At the centre of the design is an enormous pergola which Paul says is one of the biggest in the UK.

That will stay open air, draped in plants, although there’s an option to put on a Perspex roof so it could be used in all weathers. There’ll also be a 60-seater covered area and the entire roof space will have outdoor heating so it can be open most of the year.

To keep it connected to the main venue, customers in the roof garden will be able to order food via a QR code from one of Blackstock Market’s nine on-site food traders.

“The rooftop is a suntrap so it’s great place for cocktails – it will have its own bar but you can also order drinks from the rest of the venue,” adds Paul. 

“We’re still confirming the full schedule but we’re going to be doing weekly brunches on a Saturday, weekly afternoon teas on Sunday and all-day entertainment including acoustic live music, DJs, sax players and percussionists at weekends.

“We’ve never had DJs on in the main space because it’s more suited to acoustic and bands so this gives us outdoor space and a different type of music.”

Blackstock Roof Garden will also be available for private hire, including wedding ceremonies, it has a lift going up to the space making it wheelchair accessible and there’s free parking.

Find out more on the Blackstock Market website.

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