By Heidi Hardman-Welsh
For Ian Van De Waal, Penny Lane is more than a street immortalised in song, it’s home. Born in Amsterdam, Ian, 41, moved to Liverpool when he was just three years old. After first living in Toxteth and then Garston, he’s spent the last decade around the famous lane.
Now, as a local artist, Ian is working on an ambitious public art project to brighten the area, with large-scale tributes to The Beatles.
The idea for the Penny Lane art trail came from daily walks with his children to Dovedale School, a primary once attended by John Lennon and George Harrison.
Ian said: “Walking down Penny Lane every day, I realised that, considering it’s the most famous lane in the world, there’s pretty much nothing there.
“The one exception being the colourful murals at the Penny Lane Development Trust, and that’s just a taste of what could be. That’s when I thought, why not brighten up the whole lane?”
“It’s a step into the unknown for me,” he admitted. “Previously I’ve just worked from a home studio, so this is the first time I’m getting out and really doing a large-scale public art project. But it’s where my kids go to school, where my family is, so I just want to take pride in the area.”
This week (August 18), the Penny Lane mural started taking shape at the top of the street near the Richmond Tavern. The artwork features Ringo Starr’s hand holding a slice of pizza and is being created in collaboration with a new local pizzeria.
A Project for Visitors and Locals
The local community have been enthusiastic about the project. “It’s been overwhelmingly positive,” Ian said. “Today we were working on the big mural and had countless people stopping just to say it’s brilliant to see some colour in the area. On social media too, the videos I’ve put out about the trail have had an amazing response.”
Ian hopes the trail will liven up the street, but also encourage visitors to stay in the area instead of just passing through.
He said: “At the moment, the majority of visitors are on a coach or bus, and they just pass through in a matter of minutes. Ideally, I’d like people to spend a couple of hours there, walk along the trail, take some pictures, and maybe stop in a local café or restaurant, which would benefit the local community that works down Penny Lane. It’s all about giving back.
“It’s probably the most important thing for me. Being a local myself, I speak with neighbours, business owners, people walking along Penny Lane. It’s about making sure it works for them first.”
Adam Bresnan (@Brezaux_), 40, from Wirral, is an artist on the project and is excited to see the Penny Lane murals take shape.
He said: “It’s great to be involved right from the start. The Beatles have been a big part of my life as both a musician and an artist. A project like this is a catalyst for businesses to open up and different people to come into the areas spending money. Artwork is always a positive in communities.”
Funding a Vision
The art trail, like many grassroots projects, relies on various sources of support. So far, Ian and his team have raised around £4,500 through crowdfunding. But they are also seeking private sponsorships from local businesses and charities. Next, he plans to approach the council for public arts funding through the Arts Council or the National Heritage Lottery.
Local schools are also getting involved. Ian mentioned that the children will create artwork for the launch day, and once the trail is up and running, teachers have expressed their interest in taking pupils on field trips to explore it.
More Than the Beatles
Although the fab four are at the heart of the project, Ian stressed that the murals would also celebrate the broader history of Penny Lane.
He said: “Obviously, The Beatles take the headlines because of the song association and being world-famous. But the trail is about a lot more than that. The area has got a rich history that’s pre-Beatles, and we’re going to tie that into the artwork as well.”
For instance, the colourful flowers that will line the trail pay tribute to The Beatles’ flower power era. But they also represent Penny Lane before the terraced houses were built there over 100 years ago, when it was just a field full of wildflowers.
Ian explained: “The idea is that it’s a positive-sum game — when the trail is done, it benefits everyone in the area and everyone passing through.”
Plaques, Murals and Memories
The trail will include both murals and specially designed plaques, each placed at meaningful sites along Penny Lane. Paul McCartney’s will stand outside St Barnabas’ Church, where he sang as a choirboy.
George Harrison will be remembered near a memorial garden halfway down the lane. John Lennon will be on the corner of Dovedale Road, close to Dovedale School. Ringo Starr, who has fewer links to Penny Lane, will be placed at the bottom end, nearest to Dingle where he grew up.
Endorsements and Hopes
The project has already won support from Beatles family members. “Mike McCartney, Paul’s brother, and his wife Rowena have sent us a letter of support,” Ian said. “When Paul was in Liverpool recently for the LIPA graduations, we managed to get some information about the project to him too. Hopefully at some point we’ll get an endorsement from Paul, and then we’re going to approach Ringo as well.”
Ian initially aimed to finish the trail this summer, but due to the growing scale of the project, he now expects it to take between 18 months and two years to complete. Nevertheless, he believes that this extra time will only enhance the final result.
“Bright, colourful, creative — that’s pretty much it,” he smiled. “At the end of the day, it’s about making Penny Lane an even better place to live and visit.”
Support the Penny Lane project at Ian’s GoFundMe here
Heidi Hardman-Welsh 