Visit the Pier Head at any time of day, and you will hear a cacophony of sounds – the water lapping against the landing stage at the Gerry Marsden Ferry Terminal, the quiet yet ever-present hum of the chattering tourists … and finally, resident busker Paul Kiddle.
“Many many years ago I saw ‘A Hard Day’s Night’,” Paul says. “I was obsessed with John Lennon – the way he moved with his guitar. That made me want to pick up the instrument.”
Paul is almost always playing a song by the Fab Four, by whose statue he calls his “regular spot“, though there is sometimes a Gerry & the Pacemakers song thrown in, or a song from the same era.
Liverpool is a city known for its music, its football and The Beatles. It is estimated that the tourism industry in the city generated £3.2bn last year.
There is almost always a cruise ship in port, and Paul is in the best place to greet these visitors. They will then, more often than not, flock down to the Cavern Club on Mathew Street.
He earns a living from entertaining people and from keeping the legacy of The Beatles alive.
Paul added: “I feel honoured to play their music and sometimes interact with the people visiting Liverpool.”
Featured image: Ruby Smith
