© Echo
The large hole, at the junction of the major commuter route and Beech Street, formed this morning and began at three metres deep and six metres wide.
Throughout the day the hole has continued to grow , as an investigation involving bodies including the council, gas experts and United Utilities gets under way to determine the cause.
John Brown, manager at the Devonshire House Hotel, which is close to the site of the sinkhole, said staff have been told it could be three to four weeks before it is fully repaired.
He said: "We have been told that it is a sewer that has collapsed and heard on the grapevine that it will be three to four weeks before it repaired.
"We are trying to cope with the diversions that are in place."
Mr Brown said a number of weddings were planned at the hotel in the coming days. He added: "Our brides are panicking somewhat about their guests so we are just trying to keep them at bay.
"We have opened up the rear entrance of the hotel, which is usually locked for security reasons, but we are going to have to use it." John told the Echo the hotel had three weddings booked in for tomorrow, three on Saturday and two on Sunday.
There is also due to be a school prom at the venue this evening.
A staff member at the Shell Garage, a bit further up from the hotel and the sinkhole, said they had also been told it could take four weeks.
A Liverpool council spokesman said: "We are still working to establish a cause and we are working in partnership with a number of utilities to repair the hole. "It is too soon to speculate how long it will take."
In March 2015, a huge sinkhole closed a busy Southport junction for several weeks.
The 15ft by 10ft hole, at the traffic lights on Cambridge Road and Preston New Road, caused a sewer beneath the hole to collapse.
Last year Greenbank Lane, near Sefton Park, was sealed off between Mossley Hill and Greenbank Road due to a two-and-a-half-foot hole.
The 3ft deep hole took a number of weeks to be repaired, but the road was re-opened later the same day with diversions in place.
Edge Lane was closed in both directions following the formation of the sinkhole and diversions put in place.
The closure will cause problems for commuters, especially at rush hour.
For city-bound traffic alternate routes have been suggested including using the M62 motorway as far as the Rocket junction and then turning on to Queens Drive and heading for Childwall Road to the South or Prescot Road in Old Swan.
For drivers attempting to get out of the city there are two main options: turn down Holt Road and through Kensington, or use Durning Road and head through Wavertree.
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