A DISAPPOINTED restaurant owner has revealed big ambitions for a city centre square.

Maureen Nolan, owner of OSQA piano bar and restaurant on Oldham Square, off Renshaw Street, is hoping to transform the area into a public art hub after the square wasn’t given a superlambanana.

And the first piece of permanent art work was revealed yesterday thanks to the help of pupils from Pleasant Street Primary School.

Maureen said: “I complained to the city council that despite spending £700,000 creating the square they hadn’t thought about giving us a superlambanana.

“I feel like the square’s being forgotten so I contacted them and told them I would make my own superlambanana out of chicken wire if it came down to it.

“They said I should think about a more unique artwork so I contacted the school who suggested a mosaic based on food around the world.”

Using broken tiles from Everton Glass and Glazing, the Year 6 pupils spent their last two weeks at the school creating the mosaics.

The World In One Kitchen is just the start of big plans to put the square on the map, with Maureen keen to see a derelict gable wall turned into a huge artwork.

Maureen added: “We’re delighted that the mosaic will be included in an art trail being produced by Liverpool Biennial.

“We sit next to a derelict garage that is 50ft by 60ft, I’m in talks with the owner and other businesses about rendering the wall and inviting artists to decorate it in a Capital of Culture theme.

“I’m keen to attract more visitors into the square and the city hasn’t any other huge gable ends the size of this wall. If we can get things moving quickly, the wall could be decorated in time to be included in an art trail published later in the year.”

City councillors Christine Banks and Sharon Sullivan supported the artwork and provided £500 from the neighbourhood fund.

Year 6 classroom teacher, Frank O’Connor, added: “Our school is multi-cultural and multi-faith and our children had no difficulty in sharing the diverse foods that their own parents put down on their dinner tables.

“It’s been a fascinating and fun way for the children to embrace each other’s cultural backgrounds and what a fantastic memory of their last days in primary school.”