Wheels within wheels
Downtown, heart of a vibrant metropolis, able to craft it's role in the world by utilising it's creative and entrepreneurial flair, from a level playing field. A great city of an international trading nation? Think again?

Check out this article by Anthony Browne in Spectator Magazine (free registration required) outlining how, far from suffering 'paralysis', the European Project, the central tenets of which are 'ever closer union' and 'a Europe of the Regions', has taken on an even greater urgency since the French and Dutch rejected the principles held within the European constitution... all now taking place by sleight of hand, of course.

A vital part of this agenda, it's little cousin in fact, is 'The Regional Project', and guess what? 'Englandsnorthwest' is doing exactly the same. Far from being killed off, as many insist, it is, week by week, taking on more and more decision making powers and strategic control.

This will have a fundamental impact on how Liverpool prospers and will profoundly effect all our daily lives. Downtown does not exist in isolation and Liverpool's role under the 'regional vision' is cast as most definitely second fiddle ( at best) 'in't northwest'.

It will determine who decides our and our city's fate and under present and proposed constructs that is not you, dear downtowner!

New Thinking, from Old
A reminder from ancient Athens of the unique responsibility and honour it is to be a citizen - or indeed Leader - of a city. At this time, all Liverpudlians will be expectant of our future city leaders to take this, and the last oath in particular, well and truly to heart.

"We will never bring disgrace on this our City by an act of dishonesty or cowardice.

We will fight for the ideals and Sacred Things of the City both alone and with many.

We will revere and obey the City's laws, and will do our best to incite a like reverence and respect in those above us who are prone to annul them or set them at naught.

We will strive increasingly to quicken the public's sense of civic duty. Thus in all these ways we will transmit this City, not only not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us."

Moving on and moving up


All Change Please?

Whatever your view, with regards to Mike Storey's decision to stand down as city leader, you can be sure that today, unelected officers will still have as much power as they did last night, as do the NGOs' and suburban fiefdoms over which he had no control.

Vast tranches of strategic and day to day power, that should be vested in those who have been democratically elected by the people of the city, will continue to reside in Warrington, Manchester - London and Brussels.

Sadly, the personalities are relatively unimportant, given the obscenely flaccid sway such a vital position commands at present.

What does all this hold for the immediate future? The only other thing we can say for sure is that YOU will not be playing any role in choosing his successor... that's a real shame!

For the longer term? Accountable power, metropolitan base and international perspective... wouldn't that be really nice? Time for change... across the board?

Continental sophistication or Sodom & Gomorrah?
With the countdown to licence deregulation day almost complete we will soon know whether the more lax environment will be a downtown blessing or curse.

Government has promised that they will review the situation in 2 months time and reverse legislation if it does indeed unleash the havoc predicted by so many.

We have always agreed that the changes should at least be tested as, if it is successful, we will be rid of some of the horrible problems that we suffer at the moment, namely when all the boozers all disgorge at the same time.

Here's hoping!

Variety is the spice of downtown life
and nothing exemplifies this quite like the fantastic 3345 and the creative community that has grown in it's environs.

Currently under threat as the owners of the Parr St building want to convert the building or redevelop the site, the community need your help and support.

Something special at the heart of downtown

Cities continually evolve and business rationale will (and must) be the final decider, but should the owners decide on redevelopment then we see no reason why we should lose this vibrant community as a consequence.

C'mon LCC, Chamber, Liverpool Vision, MSIF etc, please pull your fingers out and help. We have asked for specific downtown business start up, retention and growth initiatives and this should be the perfect stimulusfor you all to pool resources and provide them. We also urge all downtowners to to get in touch with Tom and the group and see how you can help

Downtown landscaping just doesn't work
With the main fabric of the new centre for the 'Friends' and Radio Merseyside now nearing completion in downtown Hanover St we can now see clearly that the attempt to contextualise the building with just about every other building line in the vicinity (except for the taller and most elegant ones!) just doesn't work.

Fatally compromised by too many good intentions?

See what you think? take a look... trying to be aesthetically 'all things to all men' has resulted in it not really fitting in anywhere.

Back from the Dead?


The Casartelli Building 2001..er 2005!

No your eyes are not deceiving you. The Millennium House prophecy has come true -the Casartelli building really has returned! The building and the contemporary twist given by the oak windows on the Hanover St elevation really look great.. albeit a complete pastiche!

Capital of Compo? Bizarre twist
The Big Dig has caused problems and continues to, but the idea of a 'mass action' claiming compensation on behalf of downtown business for loss of trade is embarrassingly way off beam.

Could Liverpool's long drive to rid itself of the mockery inducing titles, such as the compo capital of the UK be about to be undone by groups who you would really think should know better?

Major roadworks have taken place in all other cities over the decades...we've been moaning about the injustice of other cities being favoured this way for years. We would imagine that many schemes will have been afflicted by similar levels of ineptness that parts of the Big Dig has. Major road schemes are always a pain.

We would urge any downtown enterprise, even if you have lost income and customers, to resist what would only be a wonderful opportunity for the nationals to take the piss out of the city yet again! We can see the headlines now....'Liverpool 'entrepreneurs' join the handout culture...what's wrong with that place?' Don't give them the ammo. The notion (to say nothing of the principle) is quite disgraceful, if you think it through properly. Please: Love Your City.

Now for the Royal
The quite brilliant response by readers to the Echo's campaign to ensure that the Alder Hey Children's hospital stays in the city must now be followed by as powerful a call for the Royal Hospital to be kept downtown.

Not only are issues of safety and convenience important, but to lose the hospital would also mean losing £m's of research and middle incomes to the city. The Royal is a centre of excellence with all the attendant links this brings for downtown. there is a LOT at stake...make your voice heard.

Remind yourselves just what downtown is the centre of and you will come to the same conclusion we have, that institutions like this are vital to the ecological mix that makes for a rich downtown.

The 'Regional' project STILL building momentum
A report on Sunday's 'Politics Show belies the absurd notion that the whole regional agenda is dead since the popular vote last year in the North East to reject the proposal, as some have naively contended. As if the people's wishes would ever really count.

As the programme highlighted, Cumbria now has real concerns that it will not be able to respond to any major catastrophe, now that the regional emergency response coordinating centre is based in Warrington. This week, talks about merging 'the regions' ambulance services are taking place.

It is still gathering momentum, a momentum that continues to bleed Liverpool's ability to determine its own future. Will our politico's and strategic agents who currently continue to concede and defer to external pressure come to be viewed as Quislings of their time, as the costs become clear to the general public of the city?

Far from continuing to cede to the regional agenda our metropolitan leaders must begin to reclaim powers previously handed over. Not to do so will be extremely detrimental to metropolitan democracy, to say nothing of our potential to reclaim a place in the world.

Imagine no globalisation, a reverse of technological advance, no capitalist structures, no vibrant, international downtowns, no global trade and open markets; just parochial culture, a world confined to what the local region produces and nothing else... a world where the demands of the left/environmentalist/anti capitalist and anti West have been ceded.

Take a look at this interesting discourse on what could be if we were to give up on our profligate ways and to retreat into a eulogised 'Great Before'...

Even the mighty metropolis has things to learn
Cheltenham has won 'Best Town Centre' in the UK. Reasons given by most respondents was the town's original offer, i.e. more than half of it's shops are independents...no clone town there for sure.

Lessons for mighty downtown Liverpool? Deffo. Great cities thrive on their entrepreneurial talents, part of which manifests in unique business that give people an explicit reason to go downtown as opposed to anywhere else.

The Americans realised years ago that dowtowns can't compete with out of town malls by attempting to ape their offer. Diversity and breadth of offer is something that malls can't provide, but just so happens to be what downtown's are great at.

Stand Up and Be Counted
With pressure now mounting on Liverpool FC to assemble the finances to build the proposed new stadium at Stanley park, now is the time for all Liverpudlians, Red or Blue, to back the redevelopment of Stanley Park. If the chance is lost, then this will be a huge blow to North Liverpool and the opportunity to strengthen what is a fantastic urban neighbourhood - but blighted by decades of under-investment. Remember the CPRE?

3345- 999
Normally we would celebrate most news of downtown residential development, but with news that the co. behind Liverpool's Parr Street Studios (the largest outside London - Coldplay recorded part of XYZ here) are looking to close them down to build apartments is not great news. Market forces dictate but 3345 and its adjacent bar are a big asset in the city. Any takers?


Streetart Sums it Up

A serious look at downtown dynamics
We hope that those who are seriously interested in urban regeneration have checked out the Economist Cities lists?

A quick peruse through their search engine reveals some fascinating analysis of Liverpool that just clearly hasn't been taken on board....go and take a tour (you have to sign up, but it's worth it) of the city's recent history.

And that's jazz
So head of regeneration and downtown 'supremo', Charlie Parker, is to leave us... what on earth Liverpool City Council thought they were doing putting a jazz musician in charge of planning and economic policy in the first place was always beyond us!

We have been just as confused about all the bum and discordant notes that came from Millennium House as he was supposed to be a good player.

Good luck Charlie (and a little bit of good riddance too, if we're honest) on getting the job 'back home'... the vacant position now gives us the chance to trawl the globe for a replacement that has actually been involved in the growth of a vibrant metropolis.

Devil in the Detail
An interesting little story quietly revealing two sides to Liverpool over the past 125 years. Read this story from the BBC about an 1881 time capsule from the suburban Liverpool home of a cotton trader with a copy of the New York Herald in. Essential business reading for an international city, then and now. But what's this in the last paragraph.. are there no Scouse builders left - or are they all working downtown? (let's hope it's the latter..)

Tall Stories
We have devoted hundreds of column widths of text on this site over the past two years on the subject of tall buildings in Liverpool so for once, we shall be quiet and suggest you read what the townsfolk of Manchester have to say on the matter. Enjoy.
[manchester evening news]

Out of the mouths of babes (and young entrepreneurs)
An interesting little fact that managed to pass the local press by, but bodes really well for the city's future... IF WE DECIDE TO GRASP IT...

During a recent series of meetings around the country arranged by Communities Minister David Miliband MP, to find out the aspirations of urban youth, it was firmly established that Scouse kids want to be ENTREPRENEURS.

This does not surprise us in the slightest as it only reflects the wide range of creative aspirations that our kids have... only to be let so badly down by those who currently have way too much power to decide their future, as recently highlighted by the NUT and reported on this site last week.

No child in their right mind wants to take one of those appalling service jobs that are on offer by way of our 'inward investment drive' that only seems to attract the lowest paid drudge-type jobs?

Our kids deserve more, and if they're given more respect and a helping hand to achieve their dreams then the city will be well on the road to international commercial revival.

Oh, that'll be private money then?
Excellent news that Bruntwood Developments are to support downtown's Everyman and Playhouse Theatres with both cash and ongoing 'in kind expertise'. This is exactly the type of private sector support of the arts that takes place in all of the worlds attractive cities and is a sure sign that downtown Liverpool, it's business and institutions are still on the up.

Some of the habits that the city has developed over the last thirty years have been those crafted in the midst of freefall decline, when there was nobody to give anything to anybody. We're extremely glad to be casting that approach off.

Forum
A reminder to join the 53 000 other visits made to our sister pages in this site - our Community Forum.

Here you can post images, share stories, and comment on downtown developments with the many other people in the city committed to the future growth of Liverpool.

Liverpool Farmers' Markets
For a city with a vibrant foodie culture, the sad state of the twice-monthly farmers' market (London Road) needs urgent attention.

Tacked onto an existing traditional traders' market that has the potential to be great, but isn't, it seems that the number of farm/produce traders are dwindling, and shoppers don't know it exists.

Health Desert
Will Liverpool end up as the only city in Europe not to have a city centre hospital? News that the Royal Liverpool hospital may have to move out of town should be exasperating and worrying news for anybody working in, or attending the hospital - now or in the future.

Primary Care provision - Liverpool 2015?

And if this wasn't bad enough, the famous Alder Hey Children's Hospital (largest in Europe) may have to move to WIDNES as a result of NIMBYism over loss of greenspace. If you too see the benefit of city hospitals and want to keep them in Liverpool- fill in their online form in support here.

Infrastructure
When we talk about attracting inward investment to the city, and our city representatives discuss the importance of 'business clustering' why was there so much silence over the BBC's plans to bring £640m of investment and 000's of media executives to Manchester? Whilst we applaud the new BBC HQ taking shape in Hanover Street, can we please use this as a springboard for something much, much bigger...

CBD: Crucial Business Development
With news of the masterplan for the cental business district, this is a vital piece missing in the downtown jigsaw. Only this week the Chamber of Commerce rightly polled members to explore concerns over business usage at LJLA despite booming leisure trade. From hotel occupancy, to restaurant success, to culture, to wealth - a sustainable future for Liverpool has to be built on business, we can't rely on football and the Beatles!

A note of caution also voiced by the NUT over concerns that over-emphasis on vocational training in Liverpool secondary schools is equipping our children to fill low-skilled roles in the service sector. How will Liverpool cope with the 250000 graduate engineers from the Philippines?

but they're NOT VENICE
Superb piece from Tom Dyckhoff in The Times about the limited thinking taking place in the UK's city centres, with downtown Liverpool being mentioned to boot. He is of course perfectly right. Downtowns are not about the latest big imported stores and cappuccinos, but rather the creative cente of what should be a dynamic metropolis... read on!

Overcrowding?
Shelter's recent report highlighting poor quality, overcrowded housing has rightly received publicity. Overcrowding however is not the same as higher density. Let others not use this as a mandate for the social catastrophe that was decanting city centre populations to greenfield sites in the 60s and 70s.

Selected urban titles for Nov '05:

Tall Buildings
A Strategic Design Guide
Ziona Strelitz
RIBA Publishing

Barcelona 1992-2004
Costa, William J. R Curtis
G. Gilli

Public Spaces Public Life - Copenhagan
Jan Gehl, Lars Gemzoe
Danish Architectural Press