Haunting pictures inside Liverpool's abandoned fruit exchange

These pictures from an urban explorer show the eerily deserted spaces which were once a bustling hive of activity.

The old Fruit Exchange in the city centre is now a nondescript building in Victoria Street.

Its many varied rooms and features  – including the two old rooms – have so far made it difficult for interested parties to see it providing a home for their own particular visions.

Just one of the striking features inside the abandoned building (Jake Parr)

One of the two auction rooms in the old Fruit Exchange buildings in Victoria Street, Liverpool (Jake Parr)

Grade II listed, it was built in 1888 as a railway goods depot for the London and North Western Railway (to serve Exchange Station on Tithebarn Street) and was converted into a fruit exchange in 1923 by James B. Hutchins.

It became the main trading point for fruit within the city and dealt with the majority of fruit imports coming into Liverpool.

Light floods into the old auction room from neighbouring Victoria Street (Jake Parr)

Peeling plasterwork and dust inside one of the dilapidated auction rooms (Jake Parr)

Hundreds of people would cram into the exchange halls and bid for fruit which had just arrived in Liverpool from all around the world.

Warehouses directly behind, in Mathew Street , were used to store the fruit sold at the exchange.

Some of the long-forgotten names of those who did business at the fruit exchange are still visible (Jake Parr)

These were eventually converted into licensed premises, and this part of the former Fruit Exchange empire today includes the likes of Rubber Soul and Eric’s.

Urban explorer Jake posted the pictures on Facebook.

He said: "The abandoned fruit exchange Liverpool Grade II listed, it was built in 1888 as a railway goods depot for the London and North Western Railway (to serve Exchange Station on Tithebarn Street) and was converted into a fruit exchange in 1923 by James B. Hutchins.

"It became the main trading point for fruit within the city and dealt with the majority of fruit imports coming into Liverpool.

"Hundreds of people would cram into the exchange halls and bid for fruit which had just arrived in Liverpool from all around the world."