ARCHIVE: October 2004

But shouldn’t we have one of these all the time?

BBC Radio 2 are hosting a week of events from 3rd Oct when they base themselves downtown for a week. Tune in, better still get downtown, but if they have any phone-ins ask why Liverpool is still denied a proper media industry and is still forced by law into playing second fiddle in the 'North West'?


Demand on up, so should development plans
A report by GVA Grimley reveals some breathtaking statistics. Liverpool has hardly any ‘Grade A’ office space to meet demands (of 1.5 m sq ft) but also, and quite worryingly, the public sector account for 35% of demand for other space downtown.

Here is the evidence then that should lead to quick reappraisal to enable St Paul's Square and Paradise Street to substantially up their volumes!

See icliverpool's business section for more news

'Stunning!'.. Hyperbole?
The designs for John Lewis store in the Paradise Development drew the above gushing 'stunning' comment this week.


PSDA New store

We’re afraid that our initial reaction was Edge City Retail Park. Norwich maybe? but class it ain't! - looks like the old Army and Navy store opposite the Adelphi, with two floors whipped off.. disappointing!

We can only hope the ugliest scheme has been the first to be released and the really nice and substantial stuff is to follow. There will be some great new buildings for PSDA, this one is not one of them.

BID NEWS SPECIAL
City Central BID to be rolled out across downtown?
News that a proposed roll-out of downtown's pilot BID programme has led to concern amongst small business, many of whom have not been consulted on the pilots progress, or even how they work!

Church Street

Regular visitors to our site will know that we often report on BID activities in the States, where they are very popular, as we have done with news about our downtown BID.

Take a look around the following sites
www.ida-downtown.org
www.downtowndevelopment.com www.centrexchange.com

We will follow up on this story but if you know a downtown business then please pass on this story and the links.

Issues we raised when Liverpool City Council was considering the pilot included the lack of proprietors of either the business or premises in Church Street, an area charcterised by big retail multiples and little mixed-use, that are city based concerns.

A rolled-out BID may well be good for downtown businesses; many work excellently in the U.S. (see Philadelphia) but this needs local owners at their centre, running them in the interests of the downtown business community.

If you have any news or concerns relating to this issue then please call or e-mail us.

We only wanted a level playing field!
It has come to our attention that Manchester's heritage-obsessed want their city to bid for WHS status. Will they be seeking to designate the whole of their city centre?

Dragging Manchester down to our level in the investment value stakes was not really what we had in mind when calling for a level playing field!

Another lesson for us all from sunny Beirut
'Effects of an American Transport Paradigm' an article by Mark Perry link

Liverpool’s horrific blitz
does not compare with what happened to Hamburg. But we all know that by the time the Beatles were playing there, only 15 years after the war ended, Hamburg was alive and thriving -


by permission Hamburg Tourismus GmbH

- whilst Liverpool was still ‘pockmarked and shagged-out by the war’ in comparision! Why? Take a quick look at the dynamic attitude of the city.


How long before downtown commissions one of these
Go see the list of the top 100 architects sites in the world. Who will be the first to give one of them a job here?

But who could blame Alsop if he has told all his mates to avoid Liverpool like the plague?

Upping the downtown anti
There are some awful downtown developments and then there are the others. This one by up and coming Liverpool company Green Apple is definitely one of the latter.


Focus Building, Great Crosshall Street

Web link provided by the constantly improving ‘Your Move’ property mag…but still no web site for them! Pick up the latest edition to see what other funky apartments are in the pipeline downtown.


Churchill Way Flyover
An exhibition explaining the changes to traffic movement for this and other elements of the City Centre Movement Strategy will be held on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 October in the Gladstone Room at Liverpool Town Hall.


That’s what Friends are for


St James' Cemetery

Friends of St James' Cemetery have been working for many months on turning the chasm behind the Anglican Cathedral into an even better public space for downtowners.

Their hard work was supposed to be recognised recently with the erection of a nice board listing all of the ‘partners’. All the usual suspects from the public sector had their logos prominantly displayed and of course - not a mention of the Friends! Get along and see the beautiful improvements going on.

Get the kids downtown!
Celebrate National Children's Book Week / National Poetry Day Party with author Nick Toczek, Dave Duckett, face painters, the lot! Saturday 9th October: Central Library, William Brown Street L3 1.00 - 3.30pm
0044 (0)151 233 5829

Downtown LIVING not just downtown boozing! Student survey by the music magazine NME
has highlighted the deficiency of social and amenity resources in downtown Liverpool.

Such a shame, as students come to Liverpool for many reasons, one of which is an affinity with the place - and it’s people

C’mon downtowners, get up to the Uni's and arrange some activities that will enable stuff other than boozing with downtowners!

Also. Students should make sure that they get along to the special ‘Personal Safety Week' being organised by the Police.

Downtown’s always been great!
Liverpool’s contribution to civilisation cannot be rivalled by many other cities (we just don’t see the need pickle its physical fabric because of this!) and is now being told online. How do you think we got all those great old buildings?

Single trough for grants
If only they’d done this years ago things might have been so much sweeter! Plenty of money going wanting (especially after January) for good downtown groups! link

West Tower Planning Application IN
Show your support for the 40-storey West Tower by voting for it in our Community section. Planning Committee meets in November.

It's the little things in life
With the nights now drawing in, we were reminded just how beautiful the city is and how well the city lighting strategy is working.

But we must say that it is the tree lights in St John's Gardens that work the best; really beautiful. Rather than chasing the big project, might time and money be better spent getting hundreds of little things like this going instead?

[see also: Lyon, City of Lights]


What's happened to the stones?


Former Sailors' Home: Paradise Street

The giant stone pediment of the old sailors' home that has lain forlornly since the early 70's when the structure was demolished (with indecent and suspicious haste) has mysteriously gone missing...initial inquiries have drawn a blank! Can downtowners help?

What's happened to Aluna?
The fantastic piece of art that we have highlighted on this site as a potential replacement for the Alsop scheme on Mann Island seems to have
slipped off the agenda too.


Aluna Project - reproduced by permission

Mersey Waterfront Regional Park [who?!] people said that 'funding' shortfalls would not allow them to back the project...strange, as the proposers have never asked for money, just support from a major body.

We note also Aluna's absence from the official list [or bunfight] for the Objective One money originally allocated for the Cloud.

Would this be a good project for downtown?
let us know?


He’s certainly right, but should he have SAID IT?
No! Not Beckham (who cares about that) but architect of one of downtown's most attractive development proposals: Ian Simpson who last week slammed Liverpool planning officers and others over their snail's pace and underhand and inept approaches over Brunswick Quay.

Let us hope that the truth and the advice to speak the truth doesn’t prove to be a tactical blunder that costs the city an exemplar metropolitan development.

Downtown ecology
We just wondered if the Tesco Metro will still be here during the next recession never mind in 165 years.

Downtown is the centre of enterprise. Would a downtown business support agency help prevent stuff like this happening in Old Hall Street. We welcome the St Paul's Square development -but help these guys out!

The biggest economic growth idea dreamt up by our 'regeneration gurus' was for a ‘Call Centre Academy’ instead. But look what happened at Royal and Sun Alliance.

Support your local BID!
As reported here a number of weeks ago downtown's City Central BID is proposed to roll out across a much wider area. Read the report here and then call our BID team give your support and get involved, it’s YOUR future!

Duke St on the up?
Just a quick observation. Whilst taking a busload of visitors around town on Sunday we couldn’t help but notice that Duke St was Very busy -don’t know why -but it was great!

'Knowsley' -AGAIN!
Have some people been stuck in recession/hand out mode for way too long that they fail to realise that cities are the critical engine of economic growth?

Nose too deep in the grant trough (KMBC's reaction to Objective One allocation to the city centre)

-means you risk not reaping the rewards of business growth (LCC windfall from PSDA).

Suburbs and core must work as a single, symbiotic entity.

Meet thee bar’t cut!
Liverpool’s forced descent into milltown status took another step recently with the decision to pump Objective 1 money into the canal link.

The Proposals will eliminate most of the Pierhead (suppose it’s one way to get rid of the skateboarders!)

Despite downtowners deriding this scheme since its impact was made clear vested interests have tenatiously pursued the scheme, we also can’t figure out what the glass house is for - can you?

Is this the future?!

Getting downtown may become cheaper
Getting downtown may become cheaper. Folk who still persist in living on Liverpool’s ‘Left bank’ (the Wirral) instead of moving here may be able to get downtown for nothing on a Sunday if proposals to not charge tunnel users, currently being explored by Merseytravel come to fruition – Will those of us who use the bus (especially on this side of the river) get free rides then?

Want to see my etchings?
Walker Art Gallery is to open its famous Doors late, hosting, amongst other things ‘Singles Nights’. Good one - Downtown’s (and downtowners) are renowned for romance - great way of helping downtown broaden its twilight offering too! For more details go to the Walker's website.

Stop the Rot?
St Mary of the Angels (great name, great building) in downtown Fox Street, is still lying derelict despite stirling work by Kay Kelly. Is it time for a rescue plan to be supported by downtowners? We will try to make contact details available but please contact us or the Scottie Press in the meantime.

Most business friendly city
Are LCC really planning to fleece independent traders including flower sellers at grave yards? They are loathe to explore our call for a positive street trading initiative in case it compromises the ‘Church St situation’


Church St with traders

Would not the ‘most business friendly city’ want to assist those often trying to get a first step on the ladder of enterprise instead? How did Marks and Sparks start?

Uni helps downtown boom
The role played by Liverpool’s Universities in making Downtown the thriving hub it is can sometimes be overlooked. For example Liverpool Uni is investing over £75m on improving infrastructure, services and some classy new buildings.


Liverpool University Campus from Met Cathedral

Check out some of the programme by downloading the latest edition of Precinct magazine.

Apple Centre to open at Albert Dock
Downtown has always been the centre of creativity, and Liverpool is snowed under with graphic designers/web designers.



Now they won't have to suffer the urbanist ignominy of visiting a business park in Warrington with the welcome news that Apple Centre are opening a flagship store in Liverpool on 6th November.

Old Hall Street



Set for major changes [right of picture above] with commencement in 2005 of St Paul's Square redevelopment and (hopefully) West Tower to left. Check out some recent excellent development summaries downtown on our community board. In the meantime, get down to Old Hall Street at lunchtime where it is really starting to buzz.


Metropolitan Cathedral Piazza
Is celebrating its first birthday this week, make sure you pop in for lunch, a coffee, whatever - watch the world go by and be glad you're in the City. Check out our Events page for details of promotions. Did you hear Piazza Manager Eryl Parry on BBC Radio Merseyside earlier this week?