An ECHO investigation has found Liverpool Council has been aware of the issue at Blackstone Street for more than 12 months
A multi-purpose indoor event space on the edge of Liverpool city centre used for major music events has been able to stage sold out shows despite being under investigation by the city council for more than a year. Blackstone Street Warehouse has hosted thousands of music lovers for huge rave events despite operating without the requisite planning permission.
Videos posted online by promoters have shown ravers at the venue with shows already being booked out well into 2025. This has gone on despite the local authority confirming operators of the location have not had the correct development authorisation for at least a year.
Online, the venue is described as one of Liverpool’s “most prolific raving spaces.” It is used by Circus Liverpool for their events which they claim are “arguably some of the best events across the UK championing the finest in-house and techno.”
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A freedom of information request made to the city council in September 2023 confirmed an investigation would begin at that time and when approached by the ECHO, officials said this was still ongoing. During this time, events have continued to be held at the warehouse which sits in the shadow of Bramley-Moore Dock.
In an email to Liverpool Council’s planning enforcement team, seen by the ECHO, last October officials said the operator of the site had been written to by the team, to advise them to submit a planning application and has not responded to date “so this will be chased up.” A premises licence was granted to The Events Company (UK) Limited for the venue, listed as The Red Shed.
This permits performance of live and recorded music until 11.59pm daily and the sale of alcohol until 11.45pm. This was granted by the authority in 2022.
According to emails seen by the ECHO, since the licence has been granted officials have visited the site when events are held to ensure conditions are complied with. In September 2023, the venue was deemed to be complying with licensing objectives while Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Police attended.
Kevin Longshaw, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, Area Manager for Community Risk Management: Protection, said: “In terms of building regulation consultations Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service have only one on file for this premises, which was conducted in August 2021. This was when the premises changed use to become a place of assembly.
“The building regulations application was undertaken by an approved inspector rather than by Liverpool City Council building control. As such, our consultation process was with the approved inspector and we made no comments, statements or similar to the council as a consequence.”
In its correspondence, council officials described the venue as “not used all the time, it is an occasional use type venue, the event management team are robust, and licensing have never had any issues with compliance.” A date has yet to be set for a conclusion into the planning investigation however.
During this time, residents around the venue have told the ECHO about their concerns about the amount of people attending the site and potential noise issues as a result. Listings for the venue online cite the next event to be Gorgon City Presents Enter The REALM on December 7.
A Liverpool Council spokesperson said: “Due to an ongoing investigation by our planning enforcement team into Blackstone Street Warehouse, we are unable to comment further at this time.” The ECHO contacted the warehouse management for comment but no reply was received ahead of publication.
