Entrepreneur Craig Greenwood looks to hire 20 apprentices for his £35m transformation of Cavern Walks in Liverpool into a hotel. Tony McDonough reports
A Liverpool developer is looking to hire 20 apprentices to work on his £35m hotel development planned for the former Cavern Walks in Mathew Street.
Via his Greenwood Developments venture, Craig Greenwood is looking to transform the former shopping mall and office building into a 125-room hotel. He acquired the site earlier this year from Signature Living.
In the early 2000s Cavern Walks became a thriving upmarket retail destination, housing leading designer fashion outlets such as Cricket and Vivienne Westwood. It was also home to two cafes and provided office space on its upper floors.
However, the opening of nearby Metquarter followed by the £1bn Liverpool ONE, sent Cavern Walks into a downward spiral from which it did not recover. Signature Living bought the site in 2018 with the intention of opening a hotel. But that project did not materialise.
Now Craig, who also owns air conditioning business Everkool, has secured planning consent for his own hotel scheme. Rooms will be spread across seven floors and there will be a large function space, bar and cinema room.
Similar to the Hard Days Night Hotel, just yards away, Cavern Walks Hotel will also pay homage to The Beatles, the band that made Mathew Street world famous. There will be themed rooms and a NEMS record store in a nod to Brian Epstein. The cinema room will also be decked in all white in tribute to John Lennon.
Work on the site is already under way. Now Craig is offering the chance for 20 young tradespeople to join his team in the New Year. They will be mentored by experienced workers.
He is offering paid apprenticeships for plasterers, dry-liners, electricians, air conditioners, carpenters and glaziers. Craig said: “I am incredibly excited to help develop the next generation of Liverpool talent at The Cavern Walks Hotel.
“This is an iconic venue, rich in Mathew Street history, and the ideal environment for young, passionate and skilled workers to learn a trade in a real, fast-moving and exciting environment.
“We offer all apprentices free health and safety training and pair them with an experienced mentor in their chosen field to help hone their skills.”
For more information about the apprenticeships contact sam@thisgeneration.uk