Liverpool’s local trades scene, sorted

Liverpool’s local business scene is bigger than it gets credit for, with plenty of proper independents, solid trades coverage and food well beyond Bold Street. If you want someone local who actually answers the phone, start here.

There are currently 649 Liverpool businesses listed on WotsItCalled, concentrated around Hunt’s Cross, Speke, Garston, Woolton, Old Swan and Gateacre. Below, everything listed in Liverpool is broken down by the categories people actually search for.

The local trades you’ll actually need

Liverpool’s trades skew south. Hunt’s Cross, Gateacre, Speke and Woolton all have firms that have been going for years. The city centre is fine in an emergency, but most people who live here end up with a regular from the suburbs.

The south Liverpool trades network is tighter than you’d think. Many of the established firms know each other and pass work on when they’re busy, which is often the quickest way to get help in an emergency: ring your first choice, and if they can’t come they’ll usually name someone who can.

• Plumbers: 159 Liverpool plumbers listed. Mossley Hill Plumbers and Richard Pearson Home Heating Services both get consistent five-star reviews from south Liverpool customers.
• Electricians: Liverpool electricians. V & A Burgess in Woolton has nearly 400 reviews and a five-star average, making it one of the busiest listings on the directory, and POC Electrical is another solid option.
• Car mechanics: Liverpool garages such as Castle Motor Engineers in Netherley and Childwall Fiveways Auto Centre do MOTs, servicing and repairs. Royle Motors is also well reviewed.
• Builders: Liverpool builders. A Magill Brickwork in Garston and Glassar Projects Liverpool builders both have good reviews for extensions and renovations.

Out in Crosby, Bootle or Kirkby? Plenty of south Liverpool trades will still travel. Ask about the call-out charge first; most will tell you straight.

Where to eat, drink, and grab a coffee

Bold Street and the Baltic get the write-ups, but the suburbs hold their own. Hunt’s Cross, Woolton village and Allerton Road all have decent independent cafes, there are still pubs pouring proper pints without the hipster markup, and takeaways are everywhere.

New to the city? Skip the Bold Street lists and walk Allerton Road or Smithdown Road from end to end. You’ll find more good cafes, pubs and takeaways in an afternoon than most city-centre guides mention in a year.

• Restaurants: Liverpool restaurants, from Sunday roasts to late dinners.
• Cafes and coffee shops: 21 Liverpool cafes listed, spread from the city centre out to the southern suburbs.
• Pubs and bars: 20 Liverpool pubs and bars, including proper locals as well as student haunts.
• Takeaways: Liverpool takeaways in every postcode in the city.

Hair, beauty, health, and wellbeing

Liverpool takes its hair and beauty seriously. The city centre has plenty of high-end salons, but the best finds are often suburban places with a week-in, week-out local crowd, where the stylist remembers what you asked for last time.

Dentistry has come on a lot in recent years, and several clinics now offer implants and cosmetic work at prices below many in Chester and Southport. If you’re shopping around for treatment, compare them.

• Hairdressers and barbers: Liverpool salons and barbers. Parker & Dicce sits near the top for reviews and The Base Hair Co in Hunt’s Cross is another standout, while Michelle’s Barber Shop has over 100 reviews from the lads.
• Beauty salons: 16 Liverpool beauty salons. Diva by Tina One Ltd and Just Beauty Skin Clinic in Woolton both hold five-star averages.
• Dentists: Liverpool dentists, including Cristina Butoi Dentistry in Gateacre on the south side.
• Gyms: Liverpool gyms, from independent studios to full-service chains.

Professional services

There are enough solicitors and accountants around Liverpool that you needn’t go into town unless you want to. Most south-side firms will see you locally, do conveyancing for a fixed fee and book a first meeting without fuss.

Local firms also tend to be more open about fixed fees than the big city-centre practices, particularly for conveyancing, wills and small business accounts. Ask for the fixed fee at the start and most will give you a straight number.

• Solicitors: Liverpool solicitors. Gregory Abrams Davidson has over 300 reviews, and Joanne Ball Solicitor is a smaller firm earning consistent praise.
• Accountants: Liverpool accountants for small businesses, self-assessment and company returns.
• Estate agents: Liverpool estate agents. Atlas Estate Agents has nearly 500 reviews, which puts it among the most-reviewed agents anywhere on WotsItCalled, and Moda Estates is another local name worth a look.

What’s changed lately

Liverpool’s local scene has grown steadily over the past couple of years. Woolton, Allerton Road, Hunt’s Cross and Garston have all gained new independent cafes, barbers and beauty salons, and the southern suburbs are where most of the new openings are happening.

New Liverpool listings go up every week, mostly because someone points out a place we’re missing. Tell us about somewhere that deserves a listing and it’ll probably be up within days. No signup, no cost, no catch.

The short version

• 649 Liverpool businesses listed, weighted towards the southern suburbs.
• Trades coverage is strongest in Hunt’s Cross, Woolton, Speke and Gateacre.
• The most-reviewed single listings are among the electricians and estate agents.
• Allerton Road and Woolton village are worth the trip for food and coffee.
• Every listing has a real phone number, and you don’t need to sign up.

WotsItCalled is a free UK business directory. No signup, no catch. Browse everything listed in Liverpool, or find the place everyone’s on about.