Guests from the prestigious cruise vessel Seabourn Pride visit Sefton Palm House _320
AMERICAN tourists experienced quint-essential English-ness yesterday in the shimmering cultural beacon of Liverpool’s Sefton Park Palm House.
The Palm House visit took place after Liverpool fought off competition from other UK ports to host the exclusive one-day city visit.
Affluent cruise passengers on board the prestigious Seabourn Pride, which dock-ed at the new Cruise Liner Terminal at Princes Dock, were whisked to sample a traditional English afternoon tea amidst the palms.
They enjoyed Pimms before being greeted by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Steve Rotherham.
Cllr Rotheram said: “It’s important when people come to Liverpool that we show them the real face of Liver-pool, as the perception and reality is very different.
“This is a fantastic oppor-tunity to show real movers and shakers, people with wealth, the Liverpool that Scousers take for granted.
“During 2008 we can show what Liverpool has got to offer, but we know we have world class attractions that offer the wow factor – the Palm House is the jewel in Liverpool’s crown.”
All of the 90 passengers, travelling on a transatlantic cruise, sat down to triangular sandwiches (with the crust cut off) before sampling strawberries and cream.
Noel Preston, 69, from Atlanta, Georgia, said: “We’ve seen a great deal of the city but I keep hearing about places I’ve missed. Liverpool is such a city of contrast, with the mix of new buildings side-by-side with the older trad-itional building details.
“We love the Beatles, but it’s a little tiring hearing the music all the time, but they’re still musical geniuses – and I’d definitely come back.”
Palm House staff welcom-ing the visitors, which also included Eng-lish and Europ-ean nationals, said the day had been a fan-tastic success and showed a greener, quiet side of the city.
Elizabeth-Anne Williams, director of Sefton Park Palm House Preservation Trust, said: “We are very proud of the history and heritage of Liverpool and believe the Palm House is a magnificent example of the beauty and architectural affluence of the city. We are honoured to have been selected for this event and to be able to showcase this Liverpool treasure to an international audience.”
Addressing the visitors inside the Grade II listed Victorian glasshouse, Cllr Rotherham addressed visitors as international friends and hoped they would return.
Rosemary Sorrell, event coordinator for Sefton Park Palm House, said: “We wanted to offer a taste of England and so decided on a traditional English afternoon tea. The afternoon has been a great success. and I hope more cruise liners might visit Sefton Park.”
The liner left Liverpool last night.
