Global Recruitment Guide to Liverpool Douglas Scott – Liverpool Guide Contents Introduction to Liverpool 3 The Legal Market 4 Firms 4 Lifestyle 5 Shopping 5 Leisure & Local Attractions 5 Food & Drink 6 Quality of Life & Costs 7 Education 7 Safety 8 Weather 8 The Little Things 8 2 www.douglas-scott.co.uk Douglas Scott – Liverpool Guide Introduction to Liverpool Home to the International Festival for Business, Liverpool is fast establishing itself as a business hub within the UK. The popularity of the Beatles and other groups significantly boost Liverpool’s status as a tourist destination, and therefore the economy, allowing the city to continue growing and developing to offer many more business opportunities. 3 www.douglas-scott.co.uk Douglas Scott – Liverpool Guide The Legal Market Liverpool’s business district has evolved considerably in recent years. It boasts a burgeoning In- House market, and as the Private Practice market continues to increase legal professionals will find even more choice and career opportunities in the city. Magic Circle Firms Liverpool is host to one of the UK offices of DLA Piper. With a reported revenue of $2.48 billion in 2013, this international firm is not only successful, but trusted by some of the biggest corporate clients in the world. Top 50 With a growing presence of legal firms, Liverpool is home to top 50 firms such as Hill Dickinson, DWF and Weightmans. Regional Firms The established Liverpool regional firms have seen significant growth post-recession and now offer a credible alternative to the national & international firms. Recent success stories include Brabners, Aaron & Partners and Knights. New Entrants International firm Riverview entered Liverpool a few years ago, and have thrived in the region. In-house Opportunities An area of rapid growth in the region, Liverpool is home to a host of SME’s, who due to innovation and growth are seeing their legal teams rapidly increase. Larger companies with In- house teams include Princes Ltd, Liverpool FC, Lime Pictures and Shop Direct. There are many other firms to consider, but this list should give you an idea of what levels of practice are available. The industry is focused on a few areas, making competition fierce and the demand for quality high. 4 www.douglas-scott.co.uk Douglas Scott – Liverpool Guide Lifestyle Liverpool is known for its vibrant culture and vast career opportunities. Home to two of England’s best known and loved football teams, hosting an array of art exhibits and museums, and centre of a widely respected music scene, Liverpool has plenty to offer, whatever your tastes (and, did you know, the football goal net was invented in Liverpool too!). Shopping Liverpool One: Opened in 2008, Liverpool One is a shopping and leisure complex in the heart of Liverpool city centre. Hosting a large cinema, adventure golf centre, an array of shops, as well as apartments and offices, this is the largest open air shopping centre in the UK, and in the top five most popular retail destinations in the UK. Met Quarter: This luxury shopping centre is primarily home to a range of boutique stores and outlets. The third largest shopping centre in the city, here you can experience many aspirational brands just a stones throw from all main public transport. Cheshire Oaks: Just outside of Liverpool, the UK’s first designer outlet, and to this day the largest, Cheshire Oaks offers more than 145 boutiques, restaurants and cafes. With a wide range of brands offering something for all tastes, you’ll be sure to pick up a bargain. Leisure & Local Attractions There’s plenty to do in Liverpool, and if you can’t find what you want there then you’ll almost definitely find it in one of the other nearby cities. Here are just a few of our favourite attractions: The Beatles Story: This award-winning attraction is one not to be missed. Experience an unforgettable journey through the lives, times, culture and music of the Beatles. The world’s largest permanent exhibition devoted purely to the lives of this iconic band, follow their story to becoming one of the greatest bands of all time. National Museums: With seven museums and art galleries, there’s no shortage of cultural exhibits to be seen in Liverpool. See live animals in the World museum, or discover the history of the Titanic at the Maritime museum – whatever you fancy there should be something for you. Aintree Racecourse: If a day at the races takes your fancy, then Aintree is a must visit. Take in the entertainment at the Red Rum lawn, or watch the horses and jockeys cross the line at the Winning Post. Aintree hosts races throughout the year, and is home to the Grand National - the most famous steeplechase in the world watched by millions! 5 www.douglas-scott.co.uk Douglas Scott – Liverpool Guide Food & Drink With its ever growing list of restaurants, bars and clubs, you’ll almost certainly find something to your taste in the city. Here are some places (based on the personal experiences of our team here at Douglas Scott) that we think are worth a visit!! Food Almost Famous: Well known for their mouth-watering burgers, they really are almost famous in the North of England. You can’t book a table, so be prepared for a bit of a wait, but we can assure you that the wait is well worth it. Grab a few cocktails at the bar and check out the menu, and get yourself prepared for what we think could be the best burger of your life. Lucha Libre: Taking inspiration from the streets of Mexico and adding an inventive and contemporary twist, you’ll find dishes like no other in this fantastic restaurant. With a bar downstairs to grab some cocktails while you wait, you can’t go wrong with these taste sensations. Sapporo Tepanyaki: Well known for their skillful delivery, watch as the chefs cook your food in front of you, juggling, flipping and with a dash of fire. If you enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine then this is a must visit restaurant. Meet Argentinian Steakhouse: If you’re a steak lover then look no further. Meet Argentinian offers you the real taste and atmosphere of South America with the best quality Argentinian cuisine. Providing excellent quality at a great price you won’t want to miss out. Drink The Cavern Club: The place where the Beatles music identity was formed, the Cavern Club is a thriving live music venue, as well as one of Liverpool’s top tourist attractions. Hosting three venues - the Cavern Club, the Cavern Live Lounge and the Cavern Pub - discover established artists and up and coming talent from the afternoon and all night. Seel Street: Home to some of Liverpool’s best nightclubs, Seel Street is well known as the place to go for a brilliant night out. Named as the UK’s fourth ‘hippest’ street in 2011, you’ll be sure to find a bar or nightclub to suit your tastes. Albert Dock: By night, twinkling lights transform the Dock, with a selection of bistros and bars, restaurants and cafes, comedy and clubs to visit. A popular area in Liverpool, this is a fantastic night out! These are just a few of the areas in Liverpool which are popular for drinks, but with bars all over the city, we suggest you and a few friends try different places. Look down the side streets for those hidden favourites and ask around the locals. With new bars popping up on a weekly basis we’re sure you’ll find plenty of places to have a drink and dance – or whatever takes your fancy! 6 www.douglas-scott.co.uk Douglas Scott – Liverpool Guide Quality of Life & Costs Liverpool is well known as one of the cheaper UK cities to reside in, which often makes it a popular choice for professionals. To give you an idea of the relative cost, we’ve compared a few basic costs to other large cities in the UK. (This data is approximate, collected from an online source). Item London Manchester Birmingham Bristol Leeds Liverpool Loaf of Bread £1.05 £0.88 £1.02 £0.97 £0.96 £1.03 Eggs (12) £2.32 £2.01 £2.05 £2.31 £2.10 £1.95 Capuccino £2.54 £2.38 £2.19 £2.10 £2.48 £2.19 Rice £1.73 £1.30 £1.20 £0.98 £1.38 £1.12 3 course meal - mid £50.00 £50.00 £32.50 £40.00 £47.50 £30.00 range (2 people) Pint of lager £4.00 £3.00 £3.00 £3.35 £3.35 £2.75 Cinema ticket £12.00 £7.50 £7.75 £8.00 £8.10 £8.00 Gym membership £49.94 £26.48 £23.33 £39.67 £28.17 £32.50 1 bed apartment £1586.00 £638.00 £683.00 £692.00 £595.00 £542.00 Internet £20.00 £15.56 £18.10 £20.03 £20.60 £17.50 Standard monthly £148.28 £126.95 £10 5 .11 £148.40 £157.67 £110 . 0 0 bills Monthly transport £130.00 £49.00 £57.00 £68.00 £52.50 £55.00 pass Some of these differences are marginal, but as we all know it’s the small costs that add up so it’s good to be able to save as much as possible. With these lower living costs, it’s important to be aware that rarely do salaries match those offered in London, where it is much more expensive to live. Education Education, much like most of the country, is a mixture of public and private funded options, the merits of which depend on preference and means.