June 2006 Archive
NEWS
Heart of the UK's most
exciting city
Get downtown, TODAY!
Summertime in the city is great, especially in our
fantastic and vibrant downtown
Highlights of this year's Downtown Week events include;
3345 Open Door invitation
Uber cool 3345 in downtown
Parr St are once again opening their doors to non members as their contribution
to Downtown Week. Check out the facilities, especially the great hi-def
screens. In addition to showing every kick of the World Cup, Tom and the
team are also showing the shortlisted movies from the Liverpool 48 hour
film challenge so you can watch and then vote for your favourite scouse
short of 06!
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Ropewalks: Past, Present
& Future - A Walking Tour
As part of Downtown Week 2006, Liverpool Vision are organising a walking
tour of the historic Ropewalks area. Liverpool Vision is leading the transformation
in the area and has recently published an action plan for the area.
Ropewalks has established itself as part of the city centre living phenomena.
Many historic buildings have been refurbished as apartments and there
have been significant amounts of new build on gap sites in the area.
Matt Biagetti Liverpool Vision Development Manager, will lead the tour
which explores the plans for the future.
Demand for this walk is extremely high - places are strictly limited.
To reserve your place e-mail Pam
Carroll
Date: Tuesday 13 June
Meet: Concert Square (Modo)
Time: 11.30am - 1.00pm
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AFL Architects
AFL have arranged a loft tour of the
splendid City Lofts development on Princes Dock...get downtown and check
out the best of the downtown living renaissance. Restricted places available.
Tuesday 13th at 2pm meet on site at Carillions site offices.
Architect, Steve Unwin will accompany the tour along with Carillion site
agent
Contact 0151 231 6200 or by email to steven.unwin@afl-uk.com
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AFL Architects
AFL are also hosting an open office
week at their Old Hall St centre. AFL are involved in many interesting
schemes in Liverpool so it is well worth making a quick phone all and
arranging a visit. Contact Steve Unwin 0151 231 6200
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Merseyside
Civic Society and the Liverpool Daily Post
Quentin’s Downtown Walk
The War Memorial, The Plateau, St George’s Hall, Lime Street
You are invited to join Merseyside Civic Society to participate in an
early evening guided tour of features of the Plateau, St George’s
Hall and St John’s Gardens.
Wednesday 14 June Assemble at 1745 for 1800....
The event will be led by Peter Elson Senior Features Writer at the Liverpool
Daily Post Patrick Moran Chairman of the MCS Conservation and Heritage
Committee Robin Riley Chairman of the MCS Public Monuments and Streetscape
Committee and Felicity Wren who conceived of the idea for this tribute
and celebration of a great Liverpudlian.
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Talk Architecture
'Talk Architecture' is an open discussion
about how the people of Liverpool envisage their city developing over
the next ten years. Featuring John Elcock and Wayne Colquhoun as main
proponents, this event is a participatory dialogue between the panel and
members of the public.
Date: I8th June
Time: 11a.m - 12.30 p.m
Venue: FACT Wood St
Contact
Anthony Siebenthaler
07910 846 574
sebo@downtownliverpool.org
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Heart & Soul Bar/Restaurant
Heart & Soul Bar/Restaurant Mount Pleasant Are hosting a number of
Downtown Week events throughout the week - details as follows:
Sunday 11th June BBQ
Tim Harvey and his band present a jazz BBQ in the courtyard to launch
Heart and Soul's Thursday night jazz club, Blue Note and to christen our
new arrival, a REAL piano.
Saturday 17th June Farmers Market
Sample some local produce as Andy from Claremont farm , displays his wares
in the courtyard. Welcome summer with his asparagus, strawberries and
other delights.
Sunday 18th June BBQ
DJ 'Muvelo' Perez and All Things Latin present a Noche Latina BBQ and
Latin music event, in the courtyard
ALSO: Tuesday 13th
June at Heart & Soul (6.30 to 8.30) Life
drawing class with local artist and art teacher, Felicity
Wren (£12 per lesson)
Details contact Chumki Banerjee chumkibanerjee2@hotmail.com
http://www.heartandsoulrestaurant.co.uk
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The Civic Trust
N.B This exhibition and the associated networking
event have been postponed
The Civic Trust are hosting an exhibition of previous
Civic Trust Awards winners from the last 40 years
Friday & Saturday16th and 17th June at their downtown offices, 5th
floor Century Building, North John St.
More details call 231 1031
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Liverpool48 film making
challenge
Date: 10th-11th June
Film challenge itself runs through 10th-11th June with public viewings
and judging throughout the rest of the week, on the BBC Big downtown screen
and online and at a number of downtown sites/venues (TBA)
More info http://www.liverpool48.com
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dot-art exhibition
Date: Ongoing throughout Downtown Week (1st - 13th June)
Highlighting eight of their artists work at the Philharmonic Hall, Hope
St
For more details contact Lucy Byrne, MD dot-art email: lucy.byrne@dot-art.co.uk
tel: 0845 0176660 www.dot-art.co.uk
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Unity Building Tour
19th June - Unity Building Tour. Visit the top of the new Unity development
on Chapel Street designed by award winning architects Allford Hall Monaghan
Morris. Laing O'Rourke and Rumford Investments Ltd invite you to a special
viewing of the top of the building and a tour with the architects.
This is a free event, but booking is required
Please e-mail Anna Johnson to reserve your place anna.johnson@member.riba.org
www.riba.org 0151 707
4380
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Variety is the spice of
life.... more networking
There is a free drinks reception at downtown's Sir Thomas Hotel
tonight, 14th June (6pm-7.30pm) for new business start-ups and SME's.
It is a networking opportunity for small businesses to meet other small
business owners and make some vital contacts. There will also be some
informative presentations from several leading local businesses.
There are three organisations hosting the event; Balance Financial Management,
Seven Technology and Greenhouse Marketing. It is likely to become a bi-monthly
event specifically for SME networking. There is already a wide array of
small businesses that have confirmed their attendence. Get along, have
a drink and increase your business contacts in a relaxed environment!
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Site – sight
15th June - 12.30pm A special Downtown Week
picnic is taking place again. One of the most popular of the extra
events put on for last year, the team behind the ‘Elemental Journeys’
Picnics are inviting people to join them at at the new visitor centre
in the new Paradise St Bus Station. Just bring your own picnic lunch and
then be taken to the secret venue where the picnic will actually take
place!
Meeting point: visitor centre in the new Paradise St Bus Station.
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Friends
of Liverpool Monuments
Tyson Smith - The Downtown works of Liverpool's greatest artist/sculptor,
an exploratory walk, taking a look
at some of the works of liverpool's greatest artist/sculptor of the last
100 years.
Date 17th June
Time 3-4pm
Meet: Church Alley by the Bluecoat Arts centre/Athenaeum
Places are limited to 20 so be sure to book early, though if the event
proves popular the friends are interested in making the walk
a regular contribution to the downtown offer!
contact Patrick Neil: 0151 482 2004
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Downtown Pictorial Exhibition
Ace online photographic gallery Liverpool Pictorial have created a special
online downtown exhibition Check out some truly fantastic images of downtown
and it's maritime environs. http://www.downtownpictorial.co.uk
The downtown vibe is truly
something to experience!
Full details of the extra events that have been kindly provided
by downtown entrepreneurs is online.
The main message this year has concentrated on reminding people that Downtown
Week is a call for everyone to get downtown and join in everything that
is taking place RIGHT NOW!
Downtown is back to its best as the exhilarating, vibrant heart of our great metropolis. There is so much to do and see, so get downtown and check it all out. The extra events are simply the exciting extra bit of icing on an already extremely tasty cake!
If you would like to support Downtown Week in future (next year, 2007, runs from 10th-17th June) let us know?
Exchanging contracts on
Exchange Flags!
It seems that the Exchange Flags story may finally be positively
concluded. These buildings, along with the now sadly dangerously decayed
Royal Insurance Building have appeared more than a few times on this site,
with news that 'their renaissance is now imminent', only for nothing to
happen.
Will Exchange Flags become the great vibrant downtown
hub once again?
Development firm, UK Land and Property, have successfully completed the purchase of the great downtown complex from the Walton Group. It is a sin that the buildings that define what is possibly Europe's finest public square have lain empty for so long. A major refurbishment will now take place, including shops around the ground floor... brilliant stuff!
Simply stunning!
Enterprise can take up
much more than the slack
With news filtering through that Royal and Sun Alliance planning
to cut their workforce by up to a thousand, many, presumably, at their
downtown headquarters, we would highlight the simple fact that downtown
entrepreneurs will take up most of the slack, not any more inward investment,
most of which is funneled by statists down the East Lancs!
Welcome to the world of
tomorrow!
With the loft tour of downtown's classy new 'Unity' mixed use development
complex taking place today bringing this year's Downtown Week to an end,
we are pleased to report that the week has gone marvelously.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who played their part in helping to promote and raise awareness of the week, of which there are many, many business and individuals. We would like to make a special thank you to those downtown entrepreneurs and creatives who put on extra, special events to celebrate the week.
Though the number of events was fewer than that of last year, the coverage was considerably greater. Plans are already in place to begin building up for next year's, which you should all know is Liverpool's 800th 'Birthday'.
A number of the initiatives are already going to have a bigger impact on downtown dynamism: a key factor when thinking up these extra events, and the city now has a number of year-round activities it did not have before! New markets, slightly different approach, develop something a little refreshing.... it's all we need to do!
Increasing trade, gaining more visitors
We hope to be able to help make that year just a little more positive, and play our part in maintaining the resurgence the city is currently witnessing. Please help to make Downtown Week better again next year? More importantly think about making some contribution to the drive to make downtown even more dynamic than it currently is... we will all benefit by doing this... business, tourists, visitor attraction... EVERYONE
Roll on 2007 (DW 10th-17th June) Cheers!
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More of June's Downtown News
Cultural evolution
The last week of June saw downtown's creative
centre and enterprise incubator, Quiggins, close its doors for the last
time. Owner Peter Tierney still hopes to continue with a new centre. Some
business have moved up to the former Methodist Central Hall in renshaw
St, including Zap Grafitti, whilst others have simply moved into new premises.
Wewish everybody the best for the future, though we would remind everyone that downtown culture is fluid, and just like everyone, there is always a time to leave the womb. Downtown's renaissance is dependent on new entrepreneurs coming up with valuable and unique offers for the city... hopefully our leaders now appreciate this. At least it seems that current leader, Warren Bradley certainly does. The more he pronounces on issues that are vital to the city, the more impressed we become.
Gain exposure at downtown
photographic gallery
Downtown's Open
Eye photographic Gallery are to host a networking event in July. The
team there are also working on a number of fund raising events for this
great organisation. For further details email
Rachael
Always providing the city with the best in the photographic arts it is
well worth regularly popping in. Current exhibition: Jacob Aue Sobol -
'Sabine', 26 May - 15 July 2006
Coming soon: Hellen van Meene – ‘New Works’,
21 July – 2 September 2006
Open Eye is a vital, independent part of downtown's creative infrastructure, see what you can do?
Lot's of creative media-types
downtown
As the Liverpool48
film making challenge showed, Liverpool is a font of creative media talent.
Check out the movies online
here and be inspired to get downtown Tuesday (27th June - 7.30p.m,
screen 2) to the latest FACT 'Liverpool Film
Night'
Here we go, a nice, arty picture of FACT in downtown
Wood St!
It is a chance to see another selection of weird and wonderful shorts from scouse film making talent... only £4 (£3 FACT members and concessions) The session concludes with a film makers Q&A. See you there?
Downtown is full of City
talk
Amongst the panoply of architectural and urban seminars, coffeehouse meetings
and derives taking place this summer, one that is particularly interesting
is the series 'City in Transition'. The next
talk is being held at the RENEW
rooms (at the RIBA bookshop , well stocked, get down and buy some?) in
downtown Wood St on Thurs 29th June
Style over substance? Nah, the stock is pretty cool!
The centre is fast becoming an excellent focal point for urbanists and others interested in the development of our cities... and it's right in the heart of downtown Liverpool!
Farewell 3345... and the
rest?
We received a strange communication this morning informing us that,
though the Parr St recording studio is now not being closed, all of the
other business in the building have been given notice to quit!
As we have said since the situation first arose with regards to the building's future, there is no reason at all that downtown should lose the business' (and the people concerned lose their livelihoods) or for the community to be dispersed. How many agencies do we have who's remit is to help maintain and grow economic life downtown? Exactly!
C'mon Chamber, Business Liverpool, LCC, GME, Culture Company surely it is not beyond you all to craft a combined effort to ensure that these companies find suitable premises somewhere else downtown? After all, you have sucked in all the enterprise resources!
Keep an eye out for this
one
The Centre for cities undertakes research
into the future for cities and, unlike many other initiatives, takes a
more holistic view of how they work.
Cities North West is a series of investigations and reports that should be interesting, as the utter incompatibility of 'metropolitanism' with the current 'regional project' must surely come to the fore.
As we have constantly called for on this site, the first step in any focus that aims to increase the possibility of Liverpool undergoing an international renaissance must first be rid of the ridiculous imposition that is the 'North West' agenda, with all its assumptions and built in priorities for another city!
A booklet is being launched in Liverpool on 10th July. It will also be interesting to see 'regional players' beginning to squirm and reposition themselves as conclusions become obvious.... sit back and enjoy the experience.
QUIGGINS FOR THE OLD GEORGE HENRY LEES' - A MUCH MORE VITAL ENTERPRISE THAN MOST 'INVESTMENTS' TAKING PLACE DOWNTOWN!
Going downtown, the Brazilian
way!
We highlighted the wonderful contribution to downtown's variety of talents
made by DJ Juanito's fine Brazilian Party Nights, so we thought them worth
another plug.
There are other attractions to see at the Pacific...get
downtown and join in with those samba rhythms!
Cosmopolitan scouseland at its best. The next event takes place at the Pacific Bar in downtown Victoria St 9 -til - late 9th June... just in time for Brazils World Cup adventure! For more details visit their website.
Royal Opera comes downtown
The world famous Royal Opera House return to the BBC's Big Screen this
summer, following last year's popular debut, with three more live relays
from inside their Covent Garden home. The gems of their sell-out summer
programme will be beamed direct to downtown Clayton Square where free
seating will be provided, plus additional pre-show entertainments half
an hour before transmission begins.
Will look even better on downtown's Big Telly!
Shows open with The Royal Ballet’s new production of The Sleeping
Beauty in celebration of the Company’s 75th anniversary. The Sleeping
Beauty is an enchanting tale of good triumphing over evil, a classic masterpiece
which will delight both children and adults alike... could almost be an
inspiring downtown tale!
The Sleeping Beauty shows Thursday 1 June at 7.30pm. with more shows throughout the summer.
Talking of Capital of Enterprise
though!
As we related last week, the former headquarters of Royal Insurance, on
downtown's North John St, is in a serious state of disrepair, possibly
beyond the level where it can be viably restored for everyday commercial
or residential use.
Commerce is one tradition that the city no longer celebrates as much as we should, and the Royal insurance Building symbolises perfectly our former glory. Do downtowners think that a museum of commerce and enterprise would be a viable use for this as a restored palace of mercantilism? We think so.... let's see how things develop.
Expendable architecture
For anybody doubting that the quality of development has vastly
improved over the last decade need only remind themselves by taking a
look at the picture below.
Some fools even lauded this building as something to be proud of when it was going up!
Former Argos building in downtown Paradise St coming
down, probably took about 5 minutes! [credit Paul Ballard]
We have to get used to expecting better.. and demanding too!
Downtown friends are good
for you
The friends of Liverpool Monuments are to arrange a walk as one
of the extra events put on for Downtown Week.
Titled, Tyson Smith - The Downtown
works of Liverpool's greatest artist/sculptor. it is an exploratory
walk, taking a look at some of the works of liverpool's greatest artist/sculptor
of the last 100 years.
Date 17th June
Time/duration 3-4p.m
Meet: Church Alley by the Bluecoat Arts centre/Athenaeum
email Patrick Neil or
call: 0151 482 2004
Although not one of Tyson Smith's, the walk takes
in St Johns' Gardens so you can ask Pat why Father Nugent is up this tree!
Places are limited to 20 so be sure
to book early, though if the event proves popular the friends are interested
in making the walk
a regular contribution to the downtown offer!
COMMENT
All hail the wall?
With regards to the current debate over whether or not to slice
a 20ft gap into Princes Docks 'historic' French walls we have to say that
the usually astute Lady Doreen Jones has called it wrong.
Heritage is not a simple black and white case of preserve everything or throw away the lot. The wall was built for a specific purpose, a purpose that makes contemporary re-use of the waterside unvialble, unless the structure is removed.
Central docks MUST be able to fully relate to the
rest of the city, so the wall must largely go.... but it is an integral
part of WHS!
Hopefully the archive material on this site provides sufficient conservation minded material to guide how we can overcome such difficulties... though as we know, talking sound conservation in the current 'heritage' blood fest is akin to talking to the wall!
Downtown CBD on the up
Firmed up schematics by architects, RHWL,
for the next phase of development in the old Exchange Station site and
environs have been reported by icliverpool.
Tower should be taller and the sandstone lost!
Looks like a quality addition to downtown's revival, much better than the first sketches provided. Let us hope however, that by the time ground work is underway it will have been significantly up scaled yet again? Designers should also reconsider the sandstone paving, it never looks good in our environment... second rate material for a mighty metropolis.
Putting enterprise to the
fore
In October 2004 we raised the question as to whether there is enough consideration
of the effect of redevelopment on long established but small downtown
firms.
At the time we asked whether Tescos' would be around when the next recession hits, never mind in 165 years, as one company that has been forced to close was, when the redevelopment of the Pall Mall/Old Hall St area started. Sainsbury's have since taken over the investment option in the CBD, but the quandrie remains the same.
We suggested at the time that a collaborative initiative should be established to help firms affected to securely relocate within downtown, as well as help new, entrepreneur owned business, to become established here. Since then we have had the high profile incidents of Quiggins, 3345 and the firms affected by the Lime St redevelopmeny as well as a host of not so high profile incidents, but STILL no moves... WHY NOT?
Downtown's current boom is fascinating and exhilarating, but it will be short-lived unless the authorities take steps to protect and encourage those scouse entrepreneurs who have stuck with the place through the lean times. Entrepreneur-led wealth generation is infinitely more important than ephemeral 'inward investment'.. if there is one city that should understand that message, having learnt it in the hardest possible way, then it is Liverpool.
City of the Sea
We have just discovered this fantastic website
that celebrates the golden age of the liner. A quick exploration of
the listings reveals just how many of the most famous passenger liners
belonged to Liverpool.
In this age of stifling provincialism (where objections like that given against Brunswick Quay can be proffered without cringing... see story below) the site gives us a refreshing reminder of the mindsets we should be encouraging.
Just one of our many go ahead companies,
when we were a go ahead city
It is ironic that a regular boast by the city of the time was that "our
finest structures are out there, plying the sea lanes", our
landlocked 'architecture' was but one of Liverpool's many claims in the
world.... now we have become obsessed with the manifestations of our former
drive and innovation instead of appreciating the forces that led to them
- so that today we explicitly reject, not just the manifestation of our
new drive but, the forces themselves!
The stunning 'Liners' by Chris Vine. Aren't
Brunswick and other talls simply continuing something deeply scouse?
[details
on portrait and artist]
Compare the mindset that can say "wrong building, wrong site, wrong time" with the type of mindset that encouraged the best... and as for the best, ANYTIME is the right time.
D-Day for Brunswick Quay
We will not make any comment, those proffered by LCC objecting
to this gem of a proposal have been embarrassing... let's just wait and
see what the result is.
Good luck to Maro however - bold thinking is still not really appreciated yet in the halls of power (did we say power? Shifting responsibility that should read) Good urbanists have been behind this quality mixed use scheme from the start.
Doing the noble thing
Checking on the motives for public sector 'investment' reveals
just how unrelated to actual need, rationale or demand most monies allocated
are about. The latest is a cracker of a scheme to deny councils road safety
monies unless plans include road
pricing!
Cost/Benefit analysis... and not just with regards
to council income please? Much bigger threat is to the downtown economy!
The easiest and most sensible option for the usually sensible Councillor Millea is to politely refuse to take the money, as to do otherwise would leave council open to the valid accusation that their main interest is in churning hand outs through their coffers, even if this is so obviously detrimental to the greater well-being of downtown and the metropolitan economy.
Bizarrely, it seemed at the time, we raised the prospect of a revival of Tory fortunes in the city in April. However, Conservative Councils across the Country are now discussing turning down Government packages of funding for none compulsory schemes as most of them have proven to be counterproductive. Political and intellectual integrity? Makes you think.
Change in perceptions still
needed
Check out the latest Liverpool City Council 'City Centre Living
Update' Provided twice a year, it is well worth adding the weblink
to your 'Favourites' list.
What we find somewhat dispiriting however is that entrepreneurs are still not viewed as the most important people to provide services, the reports highlighting that LCC is only interested in celebrating the number of 'names' that have decided to take advantage of the downtown living renaissance...
'Local' enterprise provides the best basis for wealth
creation... it also provides the best buildings.. check out the best of
downtown's to see what we mean?
What do you do?
These sorts of issues are supposed to be lobbied for by dedicated downtown
business leadership, but we only ever see tumbleweed when there are serious
issues to highlight? The latest we hear is that things are 'going regional'....
never really anything else on the cards. The central tenet of 'the
downtown approach' is about gaining commercial advantage for our
city over it's competitors.
Visioning new downtown
horizons
Take a look at the following renders, composed by one of our downtowner's.
It shows the type of scheme that could still be an attractive assemblage
to add to St Paul's Square.
Remember, clusters have to start with a single building!
[Click to enlarge on both images]
Improving the 'Sacred Skyline' is possible, desirable
and necessary. Embarrassing that some ever thought otherwise. [credit
Michael McDonough]
We just wonder if the visions for this vital downtown site are as lively in Millennium House as they are in these sketches?
Downtown creatives prove
their worth
The Liverpool 48 Hour Film Challenge was successfully taken up by 17 creative
teams over the weekend. The short films have now gone online, showing
the full value of independent initiative, or, Just Doing It! Organisers
have calculated that "More filming was taking place downtown than
in any other city in the world last weekend"
Excellent stuff... now all we need is to grow the infrastructure in the city to give them a global platform! Go online at Liverpool48, view and then vote for your favourite one?
Little Ingerlanders spoil
the downtown fun
We can't add too much to that which has already been said about the jerks
who ruined the recent broadcast of England's first tie in the World Cup.
What we would urge however is to check out the quotes archive and remind
yourselves of the observation made by Margaret Symey?
Proper scousers and everyone else will still be able to enjoy games on the big downtown telly, just no longer the England ones... Liverpool's and Everton's games that have been broadcast have gone without a hitch... everyone of them!
What's good for Montenegro
- 'Euro-regions' come in all shapes and sizes
With the referendum
decision to declare independence for Montenegro ratified in the Serbian
parliament Monday, this got us thinking about what Liverpool and it's
city region should do with regards stemming the continual bleed of the
city's ability to control its own destiny on the alter of 'englandsnorthwest'
The time has come to reverse the appalling decision of our local politicians to throw in their Merseyside lot into the bigger region in 1998. The long term consequences for business and democratic accoutability will be debilitating if we do not. A quick scan around Europe will show that 'euro regions' come in all shapes and sizes. Nobody is calling for the swallowing up of Monacco into some greater region and Montenegro's decision to go it alone will not stop it and its neighbours eventual admission into the European Union... why they should want to is another matter entirely, but 'regionalisation has not been allowed to threaten their wellbeing!
Downtown, heart of the mighty metropolis, not some western adjunct to the designated 'regional powerhouse' downt' road!
With almost magical timing this appears in todays(7th June) DP
A measure of indifference
Downtowners will be used to experiencing some of the awful excesses
of 'public sector time and motion' that seems to exist in a world all
of its own, but
icliverpool have unearthed a crqaqcker.
They report that threats to move The Royal Teaching hospital from its downtown site, presurmably to somewhere in the burbs, have been made, as a result of managers dispute with Liverpool City Council over the formers plans to drive a distributor road across some of the land health chiefs had earmarked for their redevelopment of the Royal.
Putting people's lives in danger, simply to chunnel
£400m+ through someones department?
We don't care whether this is callous indifference, incompetence or the usual politiking by people who are laughingly supposed to be driven by the 'public sector ethos', just sort it out.. people's lives are literally at risk. Such facilities must be downtown, don't mess it up.
Well, well! - are we influential or what? Our comment above goes up a.m, then the Liverpool Echo reports this development p.m... let's hope we can effect t'noowerethwest' debate in the same manner?
Facing up to evolution...
and celebrating it!
Excellent news that rather than seeking to offload their Liverpool
investments in response to the pressures L1 will create for downtown business
and institutions that the owners of both St john's and Clayton Sq Shopping
Centres are to undertake multi£m rennovations and upgrades.... excellent.
Downtown Liverpool is THE PLACE for savvy entrepreneurs, where returns
are better than in any other city in the UK!
Quality, diversity, choice and uniqueness is the
downtown draw... not another 'anytown' brand!
Putting the suburbs to
better use
We find that downtowners who love truly vibrant cities
automatically appreciate the complementary structures borne from
tapping the fruits of their hinterland.The River
Cottage TV programmes are a fantastic source of info about the
life of the smallholder and micro entrepreneur.
Remember Alex from Rice Lane city farm? He says
"Be sure to visit London Rd's fortnightly Farmers market"
We found this map and list of sources of sustainable/organic food in and around our mighty metropolis on their site. Give it a go and be sure to check out the rest of the site too, it may even give some of our sadly unenergetic eco community a few ideas to get stuck into to provide downtowners with healthy stuff, rather than sitting round...as they mainly do!
Where will you be watching
the World Cup - who will you be supporting?
Well, the World Cup kicks off this evening, so we thought we would
highlight a few places that are making special efforts to ensure you don't
miss a single kick whilst you're celebrating Downtown Week.
3345 are showing every game and also holding special events, there is always the BBC's big telly in downtown Elliot St, but what about the Cafe Tabac?
Tabac, in downtown Bold St are getting in big screens especially for the World Cup. They are also putting on special offers of food and drink, so definitely give them a go? Call709 9502 or go to their snappy website.
There is no excuse to give downtown a miss whilst the World Cup is on... continue to support downtown business whilst you cheer your favourite team on!
Put that in your pipe and
smoke it
As we all know, but the national press continue to insist otherwise, Liverpool
is a incredibly civilised place when compared to other towns and cities
in the UK. The city appears at only No21 in the latest chart of crime
stats. The perception that Downtown is the heart of some sort of 'scum
capital' has done immense harm to the city's reputation and delayed the
great city's recovery.
New World down on the dock
Check out the latest renders for the proposed 'New World Square'
on
icliverpool.
Named so because Princes Dock was the leaving point for over 9 million
of the emigrants who shipped through Liverpool to a better life in the
USA, we can't help but think the first scheme was better!
"Not the greatest looking building in the world,
looks quite like the Central Station scheme", "yes.. English
Heritage where involved with this one too!"
Design wise it looks a little bland, mediocre even... we hope that the full set of plans reveal more quality than is evident so far, but hundreds of people living, hundreds more working joining thousands of daily visitors (including those staying at the proposed 5* hotel) can only be good for downtown's historic waterfront.
If only designs for the tower could have been inspired by Yankee style rather than Home Counties compromise? When will those reactionary forces who weild such power in the city still, even after years of physical proof that their notions on design and 'appropriateness' are simply no good for Liverpool, let be and enable one of downtown's schemes to merit a place on a work like this?
Showing how it should be
done
Beetham's West tower, currently under construction will no doubt
provide the main photographic icon in the lead up to and during 2008.
People like new, just look at the number of appearances Beetham's first
tower has made... and that's no beauty!
The dockers are rising again, oh, sorry, mis heard
you! The 'Dokka' is rising on Beetham's West Tower, only 40 more floors
to go
If downtown wishes to really impact on the skyline in a positive way then we are going to have to go much higher still... good one Beetham's, a fine example of scouse nouse!
Entrepreneurs do it in
all manner of ways
Whilst we all celebrate the big developments and investments as playing
their part, it has to be remembered that by far the biggest 'engine' downtown
has is generated by tens of thousands of independent entrepreneurs providing
the myriad of services and creative offerings that makes downtown great
to live in as well as to visit.
Broken your heel on those fancy heritage cobbles?
No problem!
Entrepreneurs and those residents who have led the downtown living renaissance are the two most important 'communities' we have, we are lucky to have them, and their place at the heart of the downtown renaissance should be celebrated.
INTERNATIONAL
'Tipping points' are just as able to indicate the moment things turned for the better, rather than as usually associated, with decline. Take a look at this report on the redevelopment of Detroit's Book-Cadillac hotel, shut for 22 years, but now to lead in their downtown renaissance.
Sign of the times, downtown Detroit's symbol of
decline is now it's indicator of revival!
New York has no problems with proudly maintaining it's mantle as the most exciting and vibrant city in the world. Take a look at this piece about downtown Brooklyn in 2016, from NYMetro.
The Economist City Guide is one of the most informative urban news updates on the web/ We hope you regularly check the link at the bottom of this page? Some interesting stuff from Sydney and Hong Kong this week, but start by checking out some interesting news from our Pacific Coast Sister maritime metropolis. San Francisco's history is fascinating... but look at what they plan to encourage with their skyline, after 30 years doing what we are only now in Liverpool planning to do... i.e. dumbly trying to craft it!
Talking of Sister Cities!
One reason why sites like the Economist's is so important is the rarity in finding government and regeneration initiatives from non-English speaking countries online in English! ... but look at we have just found. Find out everything you need to know about Ho Chi Minh City
or even downtown Bankok (how things change in 50 years - cue for Liverpool)
In this age of globalisation we understand that English is the international language of communication... and long may it continue to be, but - we think that the main economic sections of LCC's website, as well as that of the Chamber should be multilingual, as this one is from Ningbo? Makes sense, doesn't it? Lessons aplenty from SE Asia!
James Woudhuysen presented this piece last year, but we thought it well worth an airing, though just in case you may think we are easily enamoured with architects pronouncements, remember what we said about this lunatic concept... promoted by folk with no sense of urbanism in the slightest!
Chicago and other cities have tall buildings because they need them to house the amount of dynamism and drive taking place in the city. Cutting floorspace cuts your city's ability to accomodate what we see as attractive and desirable assets.
Arts, culture, counterculture: creativity. All vital processes to the downtown mix. Lessons to be learnt in Liverpool about who generates this stuff, where culture emanates and why audiences respond? Take a look at this small list of small downtown projects (1, 2, 3, 4) that provide such huge satisfaction for the residents of their respective downtown's.
Revitalisation of historic buildings to the highest standards is an essential part of the downtown mix. Check out this online magazine for an organisation that encourages best practice in the field.
As the value of high density/high-rise development for our downtowns becomes ever more evident in helping us tackle many urban and environmental issues, there will hopefully be a major change of direction in the type of 'aesthetic led' planning policy drives we currently suffer in downtown Liverpool. Vancouver is a city we have oft highlighted in this international section... and there is no apology for pointing you in their direction once again...
Check out just a few of the developments taking place in the centre of our great celtic sister city of Glasgow.
Some great stuff from National Building Museum online about sustainability, but we must counter the notion of 'sustainable houses'. Take a look at the house highlighted, if these are the way to go then surely that means everyone should have one? Imagine 6bn of them... environmental sustainability, or ecological catastrophe?
The
Downtown Liverpool Organisation
info@downtownliverpool.org
46
Rodney Street, Liverpool L1 9AA UK