Tucked behind the Town Hall in Liverpool city centre is one of the city's largest outdoor spaces.
Exchange Flags played an important part in the city's history as the original trading site for merchants, including slave traders, who carried out their business there. Today the historic square sits at the heart of the business district and is largely home to offices and a handful of restaurants.
Despite many people passing through the square on their way to work each day, many others visiting the city are unaware it's there, according to people we spoke to in the area. There's a feeling among businesses that more could be done to celebrate Exchange Flags and unleash its potential when compared to squares in other cities across Europe.
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The iconic Martins Bank building on the corner of the square has recently been granted planning permission to reopen its former banking hall as offices, a restaurant and social space. It will be the first time in 15 years that the Grade-II listed building has opened its doors and could form part of an exciting new chapter for the area, with a number of other former banks also set to reopen nearby.
Fazenda Rodizio Bar and Grill is a longstanding business on Exchange Flags having opened almost 10 years ago. Managing Director Tomas Maunier said: "When we were looking for sites in Liverpool, we fell in love with that square and that building and all the history it has.
"But then another agent showed us a different site which was a little bit closer to Albert Dock. Obviously Albert Dock was very busy, Exchange Flags wasn't, and we still chose go to Exchange Flags.
"We've always believed that Exchange Flags has the potential to become an important area of the city. In general we've been successful.
"I say in general because there's peaks and troughs where business fluctuates. We've done well because the area is perceived as a premium area."
Tomas added: "It still feels like it's an area that has a lot more to give. I compare it to other cities we've got restaurants in - Manchester or even Leeds and there's more people living in the city centre there.
"I think that's to do with the approach that property developers and the council should have towards that side of town. They should have an overall vision of 'this is what we want this area to become, which are the buildings we believe are an opportunity to do something special and how are we going to make people coming into the city.'
"It's all to do with the vision beforehand of what the city requires, needs and wants and that's why I believe the area has not been what it could. There's some beautiful buildings around there - it's a beautiful space."
The coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly taken its toll on footfall in the business district, with more people now choosing work from home and only coming into the office on certain days. This prompted Exchange Barbering Studios to close their shop on Exchange Flags and move into an appointment only studio on the fifth floor of Horton House.
Co-owner Mark, who asked only to be referred to by his first name, said: "It turned into a ghost town. Not so much now, it's pretty much back to normal now or getting there, but this time last year during covid it was a ghost town.
"We weren't getting the footfall. It was a totally different area then than what it is now - that's why we left.
"Not as many people work in the offices as they used to. Everyone works from home on a Monday and Friday. I think that's going to be the foreseeable now. Hybrid working is there to stay."
A number of events have taken place on Exchange Flags since lockdown restrictions were lifted, including Summer in the Square and Winter in the Square events. A huge installation was also put up in the square as part of the city's River of Light festival, with a record number of people turning out to see the trial.
Liverpool BID Company reported a significant increase in Castle Street footfall day-on-day, in comparison with 2019 – with the October event dates proving to be the busiest. During the week, footfall on Castle Street was up nearly 70% and at weekends it was up by 42%.
Businesses are keen to see more activity taking place in the square to attract more footfall to the area. Mark added: "They're doing events so it is getting better but I definitely think they could use it more.
"It's hard to do too much because I know when they have the events on they get a lot of objection from the businesses, especially the office staff, because you don't want too much noise out there."
"It's becoming more residential around here now. It was all just a business district nothing else, now a lot of these buildings have become residential especially around Tithebarn Street so there's more people living here so that's probably made a bit of a difference."
Anne-Marie Bond has worked at Philpotts on Exchange Flags for the last 22 years. Back then, Anne-Marie said the Martins Bank building was open and offices in the area were busier than they are today.
But despite the challenges presented by the pandemic and the cost of living crisis, Anne-Marie said sales at the sandwich shop have been climbing since this summer and new customers have started coming back through the doors.
Anne-Marie said: "From July/August time we've been busier - not a massive amount more but we're going the right way.
"We've had a few people this week saying they've been told they have to come back to work for two days a week so they came in on Monday and Tuesday.
"But a lot of people don't know this side of town. A lot of people didn't even know we were here who work around here because they never come through this way.
"I think we need something to attract them to come through to the square. They could utilise the square a lot better."
Bill Addy, CEO of Liverpool BID Company, said: "It is a space that we value and I appreciate that although it's a hidden space behind the town hall, it connects Castle Street and Old Hall Street.
"There is an opportunity there with a number of new restaurants opening such as Gaucho just opening on Water Street and Hawksmoor opening just off on India Buildings. But also we've got two favourites there - El Gato Negro and Fazenda who have both invested in space there, particularly in spring and summer their outside terraces are well used."
Following the success of River of Light, Mr Addy said Liverpool BID Company will look at putting on a "programme of animation" in the square, in partnership with the building managers, to encourage people to visit it.
He added: "Obviously we've got Eurovision coming in May, so a space like Exchange Flags is very valuable for the city because we don't have much space in terms of large public squares in and around the commercial district. There's only St Paul's Square, Derby Square and Exchange Flags; they're only three spaces.
"Of all of them Exchange Flags is the one that's most flexible and able to use it." While any events would need to be mindful of the noise created for surrounding businesses, Mr Addy said the square "could be used for bars, music, animation - all of that can happen in that space."
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