Liverpool gets by with a little help from The Beatles

The Beatles' Childhood Homes are two modest homes in Liverpool that have been preserved to reflect the early lives of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Pictured is Lennon's former home, which has been carefully restored to its 1950s and 1960s glory, allowing visitors to step back in time. Photo: AFP

It was once a thriving maritime hub, including for the transatlantic slave trade, but after years of industrial decline, Liverpool's economy is getting a boost from its most famous sons.

"This is the most important house of the most important band of contemporary music," Magical Mystery Tour guide Dale Roberts tells tourists outside the terraced home where The Beatles' Paul McCartney grew up.