Howduino is being held at FACT (the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology), a venue for digital and creative technology in the centre of Liverpool.
FACT
88 Wood Street,
Liverpool
L1 4DQ
Here's a shot of the main entrance to FACT, from Google street view:
Directions:
When you reach the station concourse turn left, and the exit is at the far end of the concourse. On leaving the station turn right, and almost immediately at the traffic lights turn left onto Lime Street. Head straight along the road (past the Adelphi Hotel and Lewis' department store onto Renshaw Street, and past the ridiculously long Rapid Hardware store) until you reach the bombed-out church. Turn right onto Bold Street, and then left when you reach Ropewalks Square (just after Bold Street Produce Market greengrocers). FACT will be in front of you. It should take about ten minutes to walk. See an approximation of the route on Google maps (Google doesn't know about the cut-through at Ropewalks Square)
Directions:
As you leave the station (into a covered shopping precinct) turn left, then left again when you leave the shopping precinct. Continue up Bold Street until you reach Ropewalks Square on your right (just before Bold Street Produce Market greengrocers). Cross the square and you'll reach FACT. It's roughly a five minute walk. See an approximation of the route on Google maps (Google doesn't know about the cut-through at Ropewalks Square)
The main way into Liverpool is along the M62. To reach FACT, carry straight on when you reach the end of the motorway, following the brown tourist signs for "Central tourist attractions". Then the signs for the Cathedrals, and when they split into the two different cathedrals, follow signs to the Anglican Cathedral.
Just after you reach signs for the Anglican Cathedral, you'll reach a T-junction with traffic lights and the bombed-out church on your left. Turn left at these lights and then take the second right onto Seel Street. Follow Seel Street all the way to the bottom, and turn left and then immediately left again into Gradwell Street to find the car park.
Once parked, walk back up Seel Street until you reach Back Colquitt Street. Turn left into Back Colquitt Street and as you round the corner you'll see FACT in front of you.
The cafe on the ground floor of FACT offers free WiFi and a great salami and jarlsberg sandwich (among other things), but there are plenty of other options within a short walk. If you leave FACT by the doors furthest from the cafe, and cross the square you'll reach Bold Street. As you can see if you explore the street on Google Street View
there is a wealth of options. Here are a few that come particularly recommended:
If you're travelling from a way away and are looking for somewhere to stay for Howduino then there you can search for local hotels, etc. at the Visit Liverpool website. Searching for places in the "Liverpool City Centre" area will give you results within quarter-of-an-hour's walk from FACT. Hope Street Hotel is one of the nicest and probably also one of the closest. The Adelphi, once the grandest in Liverpool, is getting a little tired these days. And if you fancy making the Beatles connection, the Hard Day's Night Hotel comes recommended.