Liverpool Malmaison-The Facade is Falling Off.

So the binge building is over, and now we are all waking up to the hangover. To the shoddy workmanship overseen by a planning department  led by the Riechmarshal Nigel Lee who is  not fit for purpose.
pic courtesy Liverpool Daily Post whose offices in Oldham Hall Street can be seen behind. Todays Ghost says
The Malmaison opened in January 2007 in a blaze of publicity, but its £2.5m stonework started to come loose and a building survey determined the entire work needed to be redone.

It was the first time this specific cladding, which is attached to the building by a bracketing system, has been used in the UK.
Yes it was they, who give it all the publicity as it was a nice place for all the editors and the staff at Trinity "Smoking" Mirror Group to get the wool pulled over their eyes. "Would you like another cocktail Sir". This way well and truly oiled, with freebies, they forget to mention that its views were over the worst  looking  car park.............and it was in the world heritage site buffer zone. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/search/label/Nigel%20Lee Did the building not have a old fashioned clerk of works? Did someone not check the work?

 They say it was the first decorative cladding scheme to be bracketed on to a structure. The new Museum of Liverpool  also has this method of fixing the Jura Limestone that replaced the original Travertine Marble that was passed by delegated powers by the planning manager, all too quickly and under the table in my opinion.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/search/label/Milton%20Keynes-On-Sea The Three Grotesques on Mann Island has its black granite stick a brick things fixed with brackets.

Mark James, general manager of the Malmaison Liverpool, said: “It is disappointing that this has happened, but it is reassuring that Malmaison will survive for many years to come.
“Malmaison has made a very long-term commitment to Liverpool. We have had a great three years since we opened.
“This work is not because it is falling off, but we know there is a defect in it as there was extensive work done to survey it all.
“There was a tile that came loose, which was the reason for the investigation.”
He said the problem was related to the bracketing system and the fittings.
“The type of cladding that was used was the first time it had been used in the UK. It was quite an innovative design for the UK.
“Once we knew there was a defect, we took the best measures for the longevity of the building so that is here for the next 60, 80, 100 years.
“It is at no cost to the hotel, we are drawing down on the warranty for the hotel.
“The work is scheduled to take several months, hopefully it will finish by the winter.
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2010/04/12/prestigious-liverpool-hotel-the-malmaison-loses-its-front-after-just-three-years-92534-26222613/

Yet this is all too familiar http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/03/alexanra-tower-100kg-pane-of-glass.html last month a whole building has to be checked for faults. The Alexandra Tower. Dont they realise the weather conditions. The Unity Building not far away had pieces fall off. Yet Peel press on with a tacky scheme  in the same vicinity. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/03/peel-holdings-want-pier-head-stinky-ink.html
This is all next to the Cruise Liner Jetty http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/03/cruise-from-liverpool.html

A spokesman for AMEC the Jerry Builders who threw it up said: “AMEC’s former construction business was the main contractor on the Malmaison hotel, Liverpool.
“Certain defects in the facade have arisen and we are honouring our contractual obligations by having the defects rectified.
“AMEC sold its construction business in 2007 and is now focused on high-value consultancy, engineering and project management services to the world’s natural resources, nuclear, clean energy, water and environmental sectors.”
Yes pull the other one. I had a client who ordered breakfast in bed and the operative who came in with the tray proudly proclaimed. "Compliments of the Malmaison the Hotel that Dares to be different" Yes it does doesn't it, it hasn't got a facade.