Albert Dock in Liverpool, the World Heritage site which is home to Tate Liverpool, Merseyside Maritime Museum and The Beatles Story, is to refocus the core of its business to try and position itself as the city’s leading tourism and leisure destination.

The Albert Dock Company – which, along with the Merseyside Development Corporation, helped restore the docks in 1983-1988 – is in talks with “several” leisure and tourism operators.

Ian Brown, company director, said: “There are some very exciting developments in the pipeline for the Albert Dock. We’re speaking to a number of leisure and entertainment companies who are very interested in coming to the dock and more details about these will be announced shortly.”

According the company, 15-20 per cent of all visitors to the city go to the dock, which already has various restaurants such as Est Est Est and Ha! Ha! Bar and Canteen.

The dock, named after Prince Albert, was first opened in 1846 but closed in 1973. 2008, Liverpool’s year as Capital of Culture, will mark the 20th anniversary of when Prince Charles reopened it. Details: www.albertdock.com