A Merseyside maritime "icon" loved for decades is being transformed into a floating restaurant and bar space.
Over the years, many will remember taking a trip on the River Mersey whether it be for travel, tourism – or even for entertainment. In years gone by, the city hasn't been short of innovative ideas, as we've seen a converted tank landing craft LCT 7074 open as the Clubship Landfall nightclub in the 60s, the Royal Iris become affectionately nicknamed "the love boat" and "the fish and chip boat" for decades and the Manxman, the final passenger-only turbine steamer to be built in that period, become a floating nightclub in the 90s.
And now £2.5m project is to breathe new life into one former Mersey Ferry, transforming it into a major destination set for completion in 2024. For more than six decades, the MV Royal Daffodil took thousands of passengers across the river connecting Liverpool and the Wirral.
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Originally named Overchurch, the vessel served as a cross-river transport and cruising vessel following her maiden voyage in April 1962. Before the millennium, she was re-named Royal Daffodil in 1999 after an extensive refit as a party and dance cruising vessel.
Through the years, many fond memories were made on the Royal Daffodil by workers onboard, couples who met there, children who remember taking a trip on the ferry and more. On image, courtesy of our archives Mirrorpix, has been unseen for years and also offers a glimpse into what the MV Royal Daffodil looked like back in 1976.
But after a further decade of active service post 1999, she was eventually decommissioned in 2012 due to a breakdown in one of her two engines. And now, more than a decade since she was decommissioned and fell into disrepair, plans for a redesign of the historic vessel have been signed off.
The project is being fronted by directors Josh Boyd and Philip Olivier, the former Brookside actor, who have spent several years working on the venture, reborn as Daffodil. The iconic vessel will find a permanent home on Liverpool’s Waterfront with planning granted for a berth at Canning Dock, next to Royal Albert Dock. Daffodil is now set offer first-rate food, drink and entertainment and creating almost 100 local jobs.
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Joshua Boyd remembers taking a trip on the MV Royal Daffodil over a decade ago and said it's been very important to the team to celebrate its history amongst the restoration. He told the ECHO: "Before seeing the opportunity come alive, I'd been on this vessel around 2007, 2008 when I was about 18 on one of the famous river cruise parties.
"It started back in my mums era with ferries across the Mersey and prior to that, there was a massive music history that goes along with river cruises on the Mersey. I knew there was history there, but I certainly didn't know all the back story of the ferries themselves and the fact this is a service, a river crossing, that's been running for over 800 years.
"It's a really interesting history and one that is so important to the people of Merseyside from bygone times through to more cotemporary history, from the 60s onwards, where this vessel sits." From next year, the Daffodil will offer three outside sun decks across two levels – Promenade Deck, Daffodil Garden and Funnel Deck – totalling more than 66 covers.
Her Upper Deck features a multifaceted space for a café, cocktail and wine bar with all-day dining for 63 seated covers. On the Main Deck there will be an 84-cover restaurant and the Lower Deck features the Engine Room event space, with capacity for 240 people. This will host live music and events and the vessel will have space for up to 560 guests at any one time.
For six years until 2019 MV Royal Daffodil lay in Birkenhead’s East Float Dock. Philip and Joshua began their rescue mission in 2019 when they towed her to Bromborough to undergo an extensive rip out, later continuing her full restoration in Liverpool at Garston Dock from 2020.
Joshua said: "It was very much what you’d expect from a transport vessel, like getting a bus to town or a ferry across the Mersey as they were. It was paused in time in that 90s type fit out.
"But we wanted to do something that stands up to the quality of the waterfront in Liverpool. It’s a big visitor city, but we as locals are proud of this palace so we want to make sure the Daffodil stands up to the new brand of the city and its continuing, evolving waterfront."
Josh said a huge amount of work has went into the restoration and that the "all-encompassing space" will transition from day to evening, offering everything from breakfasts to cocktails. Experts from Liverpool maritime and engineering sector firms have been working on the transformation, despite the disruption caused by the COVID pandemic and in early 2024, the vessel is lined up to be towed to Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, where it will be fully repainted before some final tweaks are carried out.
From there, restored to its former glory, it will be towed to its final destination in Liverpool. Phil said: "This isn’t just a business investment for me, my father and Josh – this has been a labour of love.
"There has been a ferry across the Mersey for more than 800 years and they hold huge, historical significance to the region. As a picture-postcard image, the ferries are world famous.
"The people of Merseyside have an emotional attachment to these vessels and there's a lot of positivity around the coming future of this icon – we will be so proud to see it brought back to life."
Philip and Joshua are also seeking to secure funding to develop a mini-museum exhibit in the Wheelhouse of the ship, intended to honour the history of the Mersey Ferries, their captains, crew and passengers. To celebrate this rich history and her revival, a series of short documentaries will soon be released to recount the vessel’s legacy, capturing the collective effort behind her grand return and the team hope to capture those stories to create their own archive.
Joshua said: "As we’ve went through all the process of the restoration, we've had amazing public feedback and responses from individuals who you come across on a day to day basis who have a huge connection with it – because their dad used to work on the ferries or their grandfather used to take them out on the river – they have that deeply engrained memory of childhood.
"It’s just got this huge history from a public perspective but also an industrial perspective, from the people who've worked and lived and had their careers on those ferries. It was just heart-warming to see this amazing amount of wealth and good feeling towards the Royal Daffodil as it was."
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Joshua added: "We are so excited about this re-launch. Daffodil will be yet another amazing asset to Liverpool’s world class waterfront that’s rooted in strong local pride and impact. Liverpool City Region’s Visitor Economy grew to £5.18bn value in 2022 with 55.84 million people flocking here from across the world.
"They expect world class attractions and that is exactly what Daffodil will be. A unique place for locals, visitors, the business community, foodies, culture and heritage fans."
As part of a planned recruitment drive for the venture, the team are set to work with the Department for Work and Pensions and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority via back-to-work training and Skills Bootcamps. The wide range of available roles across management, catering and service are now published on the company’s website.
Daffodil will partner with La Salle Hotel School, a not-for-profit charity and community interest company based in Croxteth, to develop apprenticeships and traineeships for young people; whilst supporting sustainable food growing and hospitality education.
To find out more, visit their website here. To keep up to date with the Daffodil, you can also follow them on Instagram here.
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