As Liverpool today officially ends its reign as European Capital of Culture, a pair of quiz team eggheads offer visitors a glimpse of the hidden city. David Charters reports

THEY arrive at the foot of the escalator, panting, a few minutes late for their appointment. Coats are a-flap, scarves a-flow, apologies are rolling, hair is in revolt, pockets are leaking – and their heads are stuffed with the names of faraway presidents, the location of the biggest brick building in the world, the patterns on national flags and the collective noun for a gathering of beetles (Beatles) in a cellar.

The answer to that, of course, is “a group” and if you posed the question, What are these chaps standing before us? – the answer would have to be, members of a quiz team. Anyone with a keen eye can see that.

But as they regain their composure, the two friends want to change the emphasis in Liverpool from the oh-so familiar Beatles to the quirky.

For example, the tobacco warehouse, pictured, on Stanley Dock has 27m bricks, 30,000 panes of glass and 8,000 tons of steel, making it the biggest in the world.

This morning, we awoke to the Day of Transition, when the city officially hands over the European Capital of Culture to Linz, Austria, and Vilnius, Lithuania, and moves into 09 Year of the Environment.

To Ray Costello and Laurie (Lol, to Scouse pals) Weston, both habitues of a haven for the “inebriate poor”, this was a fine moment for their city to reveal itself more fully to strangers.

Everyone knows about the Beatles, the cathedrals, the football clubs, the ferries, the Liver Birds, the monuments and historic buildings, the Grand National and The Cavern – as they should.

They are all world famous. But there is another Liverpool, rarely seen, in the expansive suburbs and in the less publicised parts of the centre.

TOURISTS, returning year after year, should be shown these places as well. That is why Ray, 63, and Laurie, 56, have compiled The Alternative Guide to Liverpool Capital of Culture or There’s More to the Great City than Football, Comedians and Pop Music.

Its tone can be seen from the art work on the front cover, which shows a huge road sign, saying, “Welcome to Liverpool Birthplace of The Beatles”, but the group’s name has been crossed out and replaced with Jeremiah Horrocks.

Ray and Laurie, almost elbow each other in their enthusiasm to tell us a little more about this Liverpudlian and friend to the stars, whose name was originally spelt Horrox.

He was born in Lodge Lane, Toxteth Park. After leaving Emmanuel College, Cambridge, without graduating, Horrocks became a preacher and teacher, whose knowledge of astronomy enabled him to record the transit of Venue and confirm that the moon’s orbit was elliptical, among many discoveries.

Ray and Laurie were both brought up in Liverpool.

Laurie is a retired deputy head teacher of St Ambrose Primary School, Speke. After an education at Granby Street School and the CF Mott teachers’ training college, Ray taught in city schools. Later he was awarded a master’s degree in education and a PhD from Liverpool University. Now he is a writer and educational adviser.

His book Black Liverpool tells of the port’s first black communities. He also wrote Liverpool Pioneers, a celebration of 32 black men and women who have made notable contributions to Merseyside.

The idea for the guide was mooted by their pal Alan Langley, in the Richmond Tavern, Penny Lane, affectionately known to them as “a home for the inebriate poor”, where they both play in the F Troop quiz team.

Laurie was drinking red wine and Ray was on his usual Guinness.

Their book will appeal to locals as well as returning visitors. “It is not just about the cliched places. They might have seen the cathedrals, but have they seen the lavatories in the Philharmonic pub?” says Ray. “Have you seen the magnificent Shoeshine Chair at the Adelphi Hotel?”

The guide has maps directing people to each item of interest, such as the Robin Hood Stone at the corner of Archerfield Road, Calderstones. Bores probably expected it to be in Sherwood Forest.

This one, however, has markings on it, suggesting to some that it had been used for sharpening arrow-heads after Henry VIII made archery practise compulsory.

Other theories suggest that it was used in Bronze Age ceremonies or druidic blood rituals. But it is much more likely to have been used by Robin Hood and his Merry Men.

“People who come here, always come back,” adds Laurie. “You cannot walk 50 yards in this city without coming walking into something cataclysmically important historically or culturally, but the suburbs are fascinating as well as the city centre.”

Did you know Liverpool has the smallest house in England? It was built around 1850 on the High Street, Wavertree, at 6ft wide (1.83m) and 14ft deep (4.27m).

This guide is for curious couples in stout shoes, who carry cheese and pickle sandwiches in their haversacks and love exploring.

THE Alternative Guide to Liverpool by Laurie Weston and Ray Costello is published by Countyvise, priced £7.50.

davidcharters