Problem statement
Tour managers, agents and promoters lack a single reliable source describing Liverpool City Region venues and the operational resources required to route a show successfully. Information about room capacities, technical specifications, accessibility, loading, secure parking, accommodation, local crew, rehearsal spaces, sustainability options and curfews is scattered across websites, PDFs, personal contacts and outdated technical riders. This increases planning time and reinforces perceptions that the region is costlier or harder to tour than competing cities.
Underserved audience
Primary underserved users: - Touring artists and tour managers - Booking agents - Independent and national promoters - Grassroots and mid-sized venues - Production suppliers and freelance crew - Artist accommodation providers - Rehearsal and recording facilities - Local music boards and destination organisations
Evidence summary
The consultation states that LCR is perceived as less attractive than Manchester because of fewer mid-sized venues, perceived costs and inconsistent quality. Participants proposed a directory of venues and resources for touring artists and a centralised matrix of regional capacity. The existing LCR Venues Map identifies hundreds of live-music spaces, demonstrating both the scale of the local ecosystem and an existing mapping asset that could be extended.
Demand signal
Demand is indicated by: - A direct recommendation to develop a regional touring resource directory - Repeated concerns about venue facilities, sound quality and accessibility - Touring frustration around parking, loading and local logistics - Existing manual exchange of local supplier and venue information - More than 600 live music spaces identified in regional economic research - Replicability across other regional touring circuits
Competition signal
Competition includes venue websites, Google Maps, Music Venue Trust resources, consumer discovery platforms, venue-booking marketplaces and production directories. The market gap is a regionally verified, tour-operations-focused dataset. Defensibility depends on trusted local stewardship, venue self-service updates, independent verification, structured technical standards and integration with routing workflows.
Suggested solution
A verified digital directory helping artists, agents and promoters evaluate and route Liverpool City Region dates by combining venue specifications, quality indicators, access details, parking, accommodation, crew, suppliers and sustainability options.
Monetisation angle
Indicative pricing: - Venue verified profile: £250–£750 per year - Supplier profile: £300–£1,000 per year - Booker professional account: £25–£100 per month - Regional platform licence: £20,000–£70,000 per year - Data API: £8,000–£30,000 per year - Audit and onboarding: £500–£3,000 per venue
- lcrmusicboard.co.ukLiverpool City Region Music Board — Keeping Music Venues Thriving Consultation Report
- lcrmusicboard.co.ukLiverpool City Region Music Board — Venues Map
- lcrmusicboard.co.ukLiverpool City Region Music Economy Report 2026
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Liverpool Regional Mobility Intelligence Platform
Score 85/100
Transport Economic Impact Intelligence Platform
Score 78/100
Public Transport Transition Readiness Platform
Score 81/100
Liverpool Regional Mobility Intelligence Platform
Score 85/100
Transport Economic Impact Intelligence Platform
Score 78/100
Public Transport Transition Readiness Platform
Score 81/100