Man livid after taking two mile detour due to ‘a load of empty deckchairs’ on closed road

A series of deckchairs laid out across a main road to welcome students to the University of Liverpool has been branded “a joke.”

As part of the redbrick university’s ‘welcome week’ event for learners beginning their studies in the city next week, a number of deckchairs have been placed along the road at Brownlow Hill. A temporary ban on cars using the area was put in place from Friday as young people descend on the city.

However, the decision hasn’t gone down well with some on social media as they made their way into the city centre.

One person on X – formerly known as Twitter – said he had to take a “2 plus mile detour because of a load of empty deckchairs” and described the installation as a “joke.” A series of seats will be laid out as part of the annual welcome as the city prepares to welcome tens of thousands of young people for the academic year.

Liverpool Council has put in place a series of signed diversions for the duration of the closure of Brownlow Hill at its easterly junction with Mount Pleasant. All vehicles are prohibited from using the 80m stretch of road from today until Monday September 25 or until the early completion of the event, according to a notice placed online by the city council.

The welcome week is aimed at supporting those coming to the University of Liverpool from other cities, regions and countries and to aid their settling in. According to the university’s website, events will take place until Friday September 22. It is thought Liverpool’s student population is around 70,000.

It said: “We know you may be nervous about moving to a new country, so IAG have created ‘Hello International!’ to help you adjust to your new life, settle in and meet new people before your academic studies begin. ‘Hello International!’ will begin on Monday, 18th September 2023 and continue right through to Friday, 22nd September 2023.”

This year’s welcome event isn’t the first time the deckchairs have been out in force for students. In 2021, the seating was laid out for young people on green space in Abercromby Square. Liverpool Council and the University of Liverpool have been contacted for a comment.