Great character comes from bad times as well as good, and Liverpool is a city that’s had plenty of both. Now, from the Georgian Quarter to the Baltic Triangle – where dock cranes have been replaced by those of developers – new businesses are sprouting alongside established ones. The signs of past tribulations are still plain to see, but let’s call that patina. Liverpool is a city on the ascendant, and in this guide we present a careful selection of 39 entries, encompassing cultural diversions, book and record shops, wonderful food, and a generous selection of pubs.