Everyone from beginners up to professional level can take scuba diving lessons at a new scuba diving school in Liverpool docklands. Tony McDonough reports

A new scuba diving school has opened up on Liverpool waterfront.

Palaemon Divers, and sister company, Scuba Escape, the world’s first scuba diving escape experience, has opened up a new facility at Princes Dock in Liverpool Waters, close to the Pier Head.

Founded by scuba diving instructor Leanne Clowes in April this year, Palaemon offers scuba diving lessons and PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) courses at Princes Dock for complete beginners up to professional level.

The start-up business has also taken two units in The Quay, No12 Princes Dock, to facilitate a PADI diving centre and scuba shop, due to open in January 2022. It has also launched a Scuba in the City initiative. This aims to encourage those who live and work in Liverpool and have never dived before to give it a go and discover the abundant and amazing sea life that you might not expect to see lurking at the bottom of the dock.

Leanne’s other business, Scuba Escape, which she runs with diving partner and PADI course director Clare Dutton, is currently based at a private quarry in North Wales. But, in 2022, Leanne and Clare will launch the underwater escape experience at Princes Dock.

Scuba Escape, recently previewed on BBC’s The One Show, is a world first and a concept that they both came up with during lockdown last year. Scuba Escape has recently been nominated for a Go North Wales Tourism Award.

Leanne said: “A year ago I was working for a recruitment firm in the city. Now, I have turned my hobby into two brilliant businesses and I am spending every single day doing what I love. 

To top it all off, I can now share my passion for diving with others who live and work in the city and are looking for a new challenge and an escape into another world.  I first dived in Princes Dock a couple of years ago and was completely shocked by how much life is in there.

“It is a very safe space to learn to dive and is much more realistic than a swimming pool. There’s nothing better than diving in outside waters. Our Scuba in the City beginner diving sessions are already running in Princes Dock.

“Next year, once our diving centre is open and the weather warms up, we have plans to expand the number of courses and activities that we offer at Princes Dock.”

Liza Marco, asset manager at Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters, said: “It’s wonderful to have more business moving into Princes Dock and making use of the fantastic open water facilities that we have here at Liverpool Waters.”