The ECHO has taken a look inside a former dairy and antique shop which has been transformed into a unique space for creative tourists looking for a place to stay in the city
The Vintage Dairy on Mersey View in Brighton-le-Sands is a tiny, quirky house a stone's throw from the beach. Built in 1932, it has two statues guarding its roof, a remnant from when it was an antiques shop.
Paddy Bleakley, 37, from Frodsham, bought the property with girlfriend Laura Bentley, 25, last year after "falling in love" with with the area.
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The couple are both musicians and called the coastal suburb an "inspirational place".
Paddy, a bar owner by trade behind Kash 22 in Frodsham, stumbled across what is now The Vintage Dairy when looking to buy a venue in Crosby.
He said: "I started looking for a place where I could stay when we were looking after the bar and I just loved the place. It stands out so much on the road that it's on."
After buying the building, Paddy and Steph ran it as a holiday let for six months until October 2022, when they decided to close it down and put their own stamp on the interior.
Paddy added: "We wanted to create a 'creative gateway'. We want to get people's minds going when they walk through the door."
He said: "It was all grey and white and needed some care and attention. It was quite boring for our tastes. Straight away, we noticed two vintage oak beams which had been glossed and wanted to restore them.
"We also pulled up the carpet and found a vintage quarry tiled floor. That's the centrepiece now as soon as you walk in."
The compact space is now perfect for people visiting Merseyside's coast. Bold colour choices of green and yellow are brought together by patterned tiles, unique furniture pieces and bare brick.
Paddy and Laura have also added to the space. He said: "We've also extended it slightly. It's very cosy, but there was nowhere to eat or entertain so we put a garden room in which is really working well."
The gravel garden oasis is now a great spot to take in the famous Crosby sunsets.
Paddy said The Vintage Dairy has "proven quite popular" and that he and Laura are "very proud of it". He added: "I've lived in Liverpool for many years of my life and it's great to see things coming here. As soon as Eurovision was announced, the place was booked.
"It's not a money making thing - as long as it pays its own mortgage and we have a getaway by the beach."
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