Wednesday 31 August 2011

St Andrews Church Rodney Street-Call This Regeneration.

How can a City watch a Grade II* listed building deteriate to such an effect that it is a shadow of itself. 
Even the English Heretics describe its condition as "very bad".

The Old Presbyterian Church on Rodney St.
John Moores wanted to use this as a library and resource centre after it was on fire.
 John Moores were promising to make it structurally safe and give it a fresh vibrant use. So the whole scheme was kyboshed, and the decay set in really hard.
Now at this precise moment there will be a load of shifty developers waiting for it to completely fall down

But now, as if to make matters worse, it has a shed on it.

Steve "Ronnie" Corbett at the waste full Liverpool Conservation (sic) Office wanted to store his garden tools and lawn mower on the top of it.
While Chris Griffiths the waste of space masquerading as the buildings at risk officer pots his geraniums up there of a weekend. It is a waste, an absolute waste.
This building was designed and built by John Foster Jr in 1823. The above picture what it looked like only a couple of decades ago. Its decline was swift.

Now this is the picture of St Andrews with Steve Corbetts potting shed on top.  Is this a joke?
There should be laws against doing this to a listed building anyhow.
So what of Malcolm Kennedy and the new buzz word, Regeneration. (code for we are all working for Peel Holdings)
Where is all the puff powder PR going. The smokescreen.
 Every day you read in the Daily Ghost more 'Plumping' about how well its all going, when in reality our some of our historic buildings are rotting. The Old Presbyterian Church on Rodney Street, now gets a shed, on its heavy ballustraded attic.


We lost the Welsh Chapel on Penny Lane corner recently
 http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/05/welsh-presbyterian-chapel-demolished-by.html But what of St Andrews listed Grade II* why has it been allowed to get into this state. Not a recent mention in the local press.
Peter Elson once used to be heavily involved in heritage matters!
Who is to keep a tag on the decay of our history?
Its not all about nicely toned sepia prints.
There are vital issues to be raised and those at the local paper need to "Get on Board" instead of inventing fights with Southampton over the Cruise Liner Cock Up Jetty, that the local press have held no-one accountable for, even though the current leader, of the city council, was wrapped up in it all, as part of Liverpool Vision. Our history is our future.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Saint_Andrew,_Liverpool


http://www.walkingbook.co.uk/liverpool/  Here is a few more sepia prints.


SHEDS DIRECT GIVE THEM A CALL 0151 233 5623 ask for Steve Corbett or Chris Griffiths.
Further LPT reading
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/07/sheds-direct-new-architectural-craze.html

Tuesday 30 August 2011

Strawberry Fools Forever-What Is Beatles History Really Worth?


This weekend was the awful Mathew Street, piss up, I mean, Festival.
Where they now charge a fiver to get into, your own city centre.
Friends of mine come in to busk on Saturday and where threatened with a fine of a grand.
All they wanted to do was show off their musical talent for a little appreciation.
The Mathew Street Festival no longer belongs to the people of Liverpool.
They, the city council, have now taken over and are systematicaly destroying the essence of why it started.
 At least when it first started, the drunken clouts were confined to Mathew Street and now they are all over town. It is a sickening sight. I couldn't think of a worse and more crude way to spent a Bank Holiday than watching Amy Housewine (yes thats her stage name) and all the other tribute bands that now ply their trades, that were gathered together by the organisers, in a lazy fashion, with little or no real intelligent thought, for a sort of musical jamboree that showcases little of Liverpool. 

Meanwhile they are removing, if they have not yet done so, the gates from Strawberry Fields.
Well, We knocked The Cavern Club Down so why not take all the originality out of the city.
Is this the first step to their sale, or even worse being given to Liverpool Museums to make a full set along with Manchester Dock Gates that survived the Luftwaffe's onslaught.
Interestingly we have just commemorated 70 years of the blitz.
Some people just cant leave well alone.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/may/10/beatles-strawberry-fields-gates-removed

Is this Strawberry Fools Forever. Or is someone at the Sally army who own the site, where the gates stand, getting feeled up for a few quid?
 Who planted the seed in the field and why isn't our courageous Conservation Officer Steve (Ronnie) Corbett doing anything about it. Yes we know they were taken once, but they were returned they were so hot, they could never be sold. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Fields_Forever



Is Eel Scales Herr Director of Miserytravel going to buy them and turn them into a Miserytravel bus stop, or cut them into four at a cost 4.2 million pounds and then tell us its great for toursim and he saved them.  http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/05/why-did-merseytravel-spend-42-million.html
Or is he trying to get his hands on the yellow submarine and cut that up.
Where is the yellow submarine that was once at the International Garden Festival anyway.

So last week the Old Sailors Home gates are returned http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/08/henry-pooley-gates-return-can-we-have.html and placed next to John Lewis in Grosvenor-Pool making a new use of the term "Gated Community".
So we lose one set of gates and gain one set.
Its always one step forward and one step back in this city. HELP!

Friday 26 August 2011

The Lyceum Bold Street-A Whopper Job Well Done!

 I was astounded when I walked past the Lyceum at the bottom of Bold Street some weeks ago.
A giant Whopper a ten foot burger in a bun had been placed on the window of Burger King right next door.
Incensed I wrote the the conservation officer, Steve Corbett, who is a waste of time in all matters of heritage, and then decided to bypass him by going direct to Joe Anderson the council leader.
I told him that we cannot allow this sort of tacky advertising to go on and advised him that this flagrant breach of planning law was setting a rather bad example, well it was a bloody outrage really.

Anything that affects the setting of a listed building or is in a conservation area(unless its the Pier Head conservation area, then they do what they like) requires a planning consent. here is my original post from the 21st June
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/06/lyceum-bold-street-liverpool-how-can.html

Fair enough Uncle Joe has delivered and the city councils enforcement officers have told Burger King the 19 externally applied vinyls have to be removed.



I think this constitutes a success. 
A historical Neo Classical building by Thomas Harrison of Chester.
Our grand old lady can now rest without the harrowing juxtaposition of a Giant Whopper slapping her in the face.

Burger King have also been told that any applications for any similar advertisements on the same elevation would not be welcomed or indeed tolerated.

The City Council has also warned Burger King, that, if the advert was not removed formal prosecution would follow.



Tuesday 23 August 2011

Another Hacking Scandal-Right In Front Of The Liverpool Conservation Officers Eyes.

It started some while ago, a complete lack of disregard for history.
Those concerned slowly become ignorant to the law, and the law lets them get away with it. Because they were the law.

A subculture unfolded, where no punishment is dished out, there may even be advice given directing people how to get way with it.
Those rioters did no damage compared to the Liverpool planners and their property developing councillors.

It started, with Trevor and Doreen Jones, so said Private Eye, who wacked down the last Ships Chandlers on the Strand, next to the Baltic Fleet public house. They downed it on the Saturday after a listing application was received by the council on the Friday.

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/03/superlambanana-land.html
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/03/undeclared-interest-of-jones-vote.html  

Lady Doreen Jones was the then chair of the City Planning Committee. What a scandal.

Then it was 6 Sir Thomas Street, they, of Iliad, the developers, seemingly quite cosy with the city council, sent out a team of ignorant little hackers with jack-hammers to smash up the frontage, carved Liver Birds and all.  http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/03/heres-one-they-did-earlier.html
The task to smash off the façade……right under the window of the then council leader Warren “War Zones” Bradley, who said “I wondered what all the noise was”.
This happened while awaiting the visit of an English Heritage Inspector. It now looks like a pigs ear.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/01/layla-hotel-liverpool-destroying.html

Then the arrogant Maghull Developments smashed off the façade of Josephine Butler House when, guess what awaiting a listing visit from the English Heretics.
Hahnermann House had received a Grade II listing that we applied for, hours before a planning committee decision to develop the site with a horrendous extension.

Mike Hanlon would tell me later on “You did us a favour there, with Hahnermann House”.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/04/liverpool-preservation-trust-11-13.html
He did himself no favours in destroying JBH as all the fluffy duffys were out in force declaring it a national disaster. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/03/httpwww.html  While they dont give a hoop to anything out of Hope Street.
JBH is now credit crunched. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2009/03/03/100m-redevelopment-of-liverpool-s-hope-street-is-the-latest-victim-of-the-credit-crunch-92534-23047723/


Still, in the Baltic Triangle, see above picture the same old, same old is happening.
Despite them telling us the Baltic Triangle will become a Cultural Quarter. Not quite sure how you get a triangle into a quarter?
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/10/liverpools-baltic-triangle-to-become.html  

Its a Culture of Facade Hacking more like. Some things never change.
 I drove down Bridgewater Street and there was a cherry picker and hackers at work, twatting off yet another facade, nothing changes. Its not listed. Steve Corbett says it has architectural merit though.....and thats about it.


Here's the sketch, smash the façade about on any given property, its a tried and tested method, and it looks a mess and then claim its an eyesore and then an otherwise decent building is downed and hey Presto!  a Jerry Build goes up for half the cost. Hacking scandals, Liverpool is full of them
There are already plans for next door. 3, 5 and 7 Bridgewater Street.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/04/57-9-bridgewater-street-up-for.html

The Conservation Officer is a waste of time, I even get the feeling he has to be aware of it all, as no-one in the job of Conservation, in my opinion, can be so thick, or so behind the times, well apart from John Hinchliffe the World Heritage Waste of Space that stands by and watches the WHS be decimated.
Not sure if the both of them are deaf and dumb because they never hear anything and never say anything. On the rare occasion they do stutter some rubbish its usually wrong and misguided. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/08/heaps-rice-mill-grade-ii-listed-and.html
Heaps Rice Mill will be down next.

While Malcolm Kennedy, the Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration (code for lets help Peel Holdings destroy the WHS) appointed by Frank McKenna, I mean Joe Anderson, tells us how wonderful it all is.

Regeneration or Degeneration, another hacking scandal, this time, half a mile from what we are told, is a booming Grosvenor-pool.

Monday 22 August 2011

Call This Regeneration? Liverpool Lime Street A Disgrace.

 Regeneration, Regeneration, Regeneration.
We even have a Regeneration Officer (Code for lets help Peel Holdings) by the name of Malcolm Kennedy.
Those in charge of Regeneration seem to concentrate on all the easy jobs while the old stock falls down.
The Futurist, that's Ironic, is a mess, left to rot while being so close to the world heritage site it may as well be in it.
Last I heard it was being left to fall down by Neptune Developments who wanted to develop the site. On one end of this block we have the Grapes (this block is next to the Adelphi) and the other end the Vines, both listed buildings because of their architectural merit.
While we are being spoon fed about Liverpool's (false) new dawn those in charge of Regeneration watch while whole blocks lay in decay. Is it a tried and tested plan. Let it fall down, the city council wont use their powers to have the building kept in a good state of repair. Then the developers claim it is in such a bad condition that the only thing to do is knock our historic pieces of architecture down and then build a modern block of flats. Just to the side of this is the Grade II listed ABC Cinema that those Urban Splash people said they were going to restore ......and then didnt, is rotting away.


As is Littlewoods on Edge Lane that we saved from demolition, only to see it lay empty. 
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/07/there-was-scheme-to-relocate-school-in.html

If only those in charge of Regeneration really were genuine and sincere in the job in hand and stopped dodgy developers in this city letting our historic architectural stock fall down by serving them repair notices.

Thursday 18 August 2011

The Henry Pooley Gates Return-Can We Have The Sailors Home Back Too?

I stumbled across the unveiling ceremony this morning for the Henry Pooley Gates which was part of the old Sailors Home that was demolished in a savage act of civic vandalism when the building was, in not too bad a state of repair.

They were just about to pull the curtain and it was fair turnout.

Now I am getting sick of people harking on about the past, yes I hear you thinking, what are you saying, but it is true that once the past has gone, what can you do about it?
Me and my valued colleagues at the LPT have fought for the future not the past.
But, I am sick of looking at old sepia tints and listening to people with a sad lamentation of what we once had...........while doing nothing about it.
http://www.liverpoolmonuments.co.uk/gates/pooley12.html
The Dockers Umbrella crowd don't seem relevant to me anymore, harking on about how we lost a little treasure, that in reality was an eyesore and was falling down and needed demolishing anyhow.
If you cherish your past you will have a good future, of that I am sure.
We fought for the future, and preserving what we had was to have been our goal, look at the World Heritage site destroyed and weep.
Those Heritage Wallers waffling on about our history while too lazy to do anything about it are of no use to themselves, they will, of course, be out in droves when the last surviving carriage of the Dockers overhead railway is put in the new museum.
We tried to save the Manchester Dock Gates from a act of vandalism by of all, the Liverpool Museums, who are supposed to protect our heritage. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/03/manchester-docks-obliterated.html
They are now promised, by the Museums Director to be restored and placed in the new Museum of Liverpool. Lets see, shall we, after the very museums, JCB, smashed them to bits.

So, on a personal note is it a good thing or a bad thing that the Pooley Gates now seem to look out of place next to John Lewis and appear as a monument to a past tragedy that should never have happened?
Should I be thinking is this a good thing that we have spent a fortune reinstating them while care homes close and those inner city's re-ignite?
This picture was taken 1oo yards from the newly reconstituted Pooley Gates last night, as there were more riot police turning out to protect our streets from those vandals who have no respect for property.
While their city council trashes their own areas such as the Welsh Streets, creating Warrens "War Zones".

Is this a new use for the term "Gated Community" where we become a heritage theme park while a hundred yards south the Heaps Rice Mill a listed building lays rotting, and the Police protect Grosvenor-pool and the Dukes Fiefdom.

50 yards the other way, past the awful looking Liver Street Car Park, that the last Unesco mission of 2006 described as truly bad, where the memory of the Mole of Edgehill, is insulted with a awful bit of Jerry building, by a drunken bricklayer, if that's what you could call him, as it is, an insult to drunken bricklayers.
But its alright the local press say so.

While over in Duke Street the rot continues, while Malcolm Kennedy, Liverpools cabinet member for Regeneration (code for Peel Holdings) and Joe Anderson will be today taking the plaudits for the Pooley gates while doing nothing for the Wellington Rooms or St Andrews Church.

I cant make my mind up really, it seems on balance they are better being there, just, even if they serve as a monument to a horrendous past mistake and provoke thoughts of how Liverpool, as a city, is continuing in the same heritage tradition of showing disrespect for its past. 

Monday 15 August 2011

Liverpool Looting Their Own Community?

And its looting by the very council officials that are now empowered to clean up the "War Zones" that they trashed in the first place with a lack of respect and disdain for the people in their own area. You wont find this in the local press who turn the disturbances into an advertorial for Grosvenor.


A Council boss who described government cuts as "severe" and "daunting" received more than £2,000 a day for 39 days' work - equivalent to an annual package of more than £400,000.


Ged Fitzgerald, then new chief executive of Liverpool City Council, received salary and pension contributions worth £80,936 between February 7 and March 31 this year, according to the local authority's accounts.

The accounts also show that the outgoing chief executive, Colin Hilton , received £113,175 in salary for just two months in April and May last year.

Hilton also received £30,000 as "compensation for loss of employment" and a bonus of £26,396.

Eric Pickles, the local government minister, last year called Liverpool council "out of touch" after it advertised for a new executive at £197,000 a year - £50,000 more than the prime minister earns.

When told of Fitzgerald and Hilton's pay this weekend, Pickles said: "Good Lord. They had said they would be paying less to their executives."

Shortly after joining the council in February, Fitzgerald spoke publicly of the "whirlwind" he faced as the tried to balance the local authority's books.
"I don't think anybody really knew the size and severity of the challenge that we had around our budget," he said. "I literally .... sat in my office of the best part of a monthly with a calculator where only the minus button was working. It was very, very challenging.,
"I have every sympathy for all the members of staff .... It took us a lot of working through to balance the budget, and £91m out of a usable amount of £400m was a really big, daunting challenge".

A spokesman for the council denied that Fitzgerald was earning a salary of £400,000 a year, but was unable to confirm the true amount.
Matthew Sinclair director of the TaxPayers Alliance, said: "These eye-watering pay packages at Liverpool city council are a disgrace at a time when there is so much pressure on the finances of the council and the families who ultimately pick up the bill.
Taxpayers should not be asked to accept austerity on the front line but still see a gilded age in full swing in the town hall."

Colin "Cover Up" Hilton who was hand picked by Mike Storey and Warren "War Zones" Bradley should be paying a fine for the mess he created as Chief Executive allowing a billion pounds European Objective One Funds being squandered. 
All three of them were responsible for the Cruise Liner 'Jetty' Cock Up and the trashing of the World Heritage Site...........And whilst not condoning the disturbances what has happened to these people for allowing the destruction of huge areas of Toxteth such as the Welsh Streets. 

Mr Brocklebank Turns Into An Estate Agent?

When I used to write most of the Brocklebank column it had an edge.
We exposed Iliad who destroyed 6 Sir Thomas St, and Maghull Developments for destroying Josephine Butler House, helping to show them up for what they were. Property doing damage had a rough ride.
Bernie Turner as a so called historic champion had a rough ride too.

I spoke to the new Mr Brocklebank only a couple of weeks ago who assured me that when he went for a free lunch with a property developer he told them "It doesn't mean that I will write anything up about you". Well said old boy.
The Old Mr Brocklebank also wrote about the destruction of all the trees in Church Street lobbed down overnight in an act of vandalsim by the council.
Even the recent disturbances left the cities trees intact.

When Canada Boulevards Maples, donated by the Canadian Government to make a honourable remembrance for Canada's war hero's, and the fallen, in the second world war, he was there writing about it. 
The outrage.

But something has come over very queer with the "New" Mr Brocklebank he now appears to be supporting property developers such as David Brewitt and Alan Beers company, Urban Edge Ltd, who want to build student boutique accommodation in the Hope Street area.
This sounds a spun up term made up by a PR company, no surprise when Jon Egan and Co at Aurora Media have been Alan Beers PR for years.

WHO’D be a property developer, eh? Mr Brocklebank says

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/mr-brocklebank/2011/08/11/mr-brocklebank-regeneration-and-renewal-in-liverpool-what-a-riot-92534-29216253/
Not only does one run the risk of seeing his properties trashed by the baying hordes of rioters who have taken to the streets of Liverpool this week, but he also runs the risk of falling foul of the mobilis vulgaris more commonly known as the planning committee.
So found David Brewitt, owner of the Hope Street Hotel, who addressed this week’s planning committee ahead of its decision on his plans to refurbish the old orphanage, on Myrtle Street.
The meeting began on a sombre note when Mr Brewitt explained that his other luxury student dwellings atop of Tesco, farther up Myrtle Street, had fallen victim to vandalism.
Important it was, he said, that we show that, as a city, we can’t be cowed and are very much open for business.
A plea that appears to have fallen on deaf ears, if the planning committee’s decision on the orphanage was anything to go by.
In what some might say was a classic “can’t see the wood for the trees” scenario, planning chairman Cllr John Mackintosh ruled that concerns over the fate of the plane trees on Myrtle Street were enough to put the £13m project on ice. Who’d be a developer, indeed?


Now I hate the way this planning committee operates but thought on this occasion common sense was being used and they were wanting to protect the trees.......simple as that.

Last week Marc Waddington who was at the planning committee meeting wrote http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/08/10/row-over-trees-puts-bid-for-luxury-liverpool-student-pads-on-hold-100252-29208619/
Council woodland and tree manager Peter Howsen said if the plan went ahead, the trees would be too close to the new build upper floors and would require excess pruning which would lead to their eventual deaths.

He argued for the development to be set back an extra two metres to protect the trees.

The week before he spun it up into an advertorial of sorts for the developers. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/08/04/13m-to-turn-liverpool-orphanage-into-posh-student-flats-100252-29174661/

The bid to bring the Grade II-listed orphanage back into use has won the support of English Heritage, subject to concerns about the retention of internal features and building materials being allayed.

Mr Brewitt said: “Historically it’s a fantastic building which will be brought back into use with minimum intervention.
“We’ve tried to take some of the ideas from boutique hotels so we aim to offer the equivalent of the Hope Street Hotel for students.
“The accommodation students get these days is quite staggering in terms of quality, but it does appeal more to overseas and postgraduate students.
“It’s about the more discerning end, the more studious students.”

The old Liverpool orphanage was set up to help the poor children of Liverpool how times change.


Lets hope Mr Brocklebank does not become a Daily Ghost PR Plumper.

Friday 12 August 2011

Warren's War Zones Ignite.

The looters were out in force, one got a plasma screen, one got a set of dining chairs, one a dirty movie, and another got a duck house, and not one of them had a hood on.
Just what is wrong with society when thieves are operating right in front of your noses and stealing from their own......... and they are the very Members of Parliament that were elected to stop theft, to protect us?.
Where has the respect gone?

What is wrong with society when the Police are taking back'anders off the corrupted press?

What is wrong with society when Matrix officers are sacked by the Merseyside Police for having a total disrespect for the people, be they goodies or hoodies, that they represent?.
What is wrong with society when a City Council destroys its own people's hopes by creating blight in whole swathes of Toxteth, Anfield, Norris Green etc, etc? Degenerating huge swathes of the city.

What is wrong with society when our own city council by its own leaders admission creates "War Zones" while some of his councillor buddies are coining it?
While others are dole-ing out millions of pounds of European Objective One funds, y'know the billion pounds that we had to enable us to clean up those "Inner Cities" after the Toxteth Riots of 81.
While its alright for a Council to destroy a neighbourhood such as the Welsh Streets, its certainly not if you live there and are at the end of your wits, watching your father duck and dive because he hasn't got a job and has no prospect of one, got the wrong postcode and no education.
Never got an apprenticeship, never got a look in on the billion pounds that went into a new museum on the waterfront and blocks of flats that you cant live in.
What happens when you can't afford to shop in Grosvenor-pool, that was looted from the people of Liverpool, err I mean given away to a lovely Duke to add to his already sizable fiefdom?
What happens when your MP is a hopeless waste of time.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/04/louise-ellman-dame-of-dereliction-time.html

Well I don't condone any of the violence that were called riots, by the local press to sensationalize it all.
http://condensedthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/08/dealing-with-distortion.html
Correspondent calls it a distortion of the facts.
Most of the local press are about 12 years of age, and they got a chance in life, what do they know of poverty, some of them even went out of the office this week.
But they don't have to get "sussed" everytime they go out for a new sim card. Blame the parents, blame the schools. Blame anyone but yourself at Trinity "Smoking" Mirrors of Oldham Hall Street, filling pages with rubbish about how we are in a new dawn, a new age of prosperity spoon fed through from PR people such as Jon Egan and Larry Nield. While ignoring the true situation.
  http://blogs.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/dalestreetblues/2011/08/ben-turner-britains-got-riots.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LiverpoolDailyPost-DaleStreetBlues+%28Liverpool+Daily+Post+-+Dale+Street+Blues%29

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/10/6-sir-thomas-street-every-right-to-feel.html
What of the vandals of 6 Sir Thomas Street http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/10/6-sir-thomas-street-every-right-to-feel.html or Josephine Butler House in Hope Street. 
Are they no better than thugs?                 
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/03/no-hope.html  

I have already written on these pages of my own experiences during the Toxteth Riots.
My current adjacent shopkeeper owned the newsagents in Granby Street where it all started.
You would have had to have been there believe the state of Toxteth with decades of neglect. Why is it still a War Zone 30 years later?
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/06/louise-ellman-mp-dame-of-dereliction.html

So the so called rioters attacked Lawrence Road, believe me this is a poor area and why?

Why didn't the FibDems invest in the area, instead of creating War Zones, now on fire, in Toxteth, that, Ironically Warren Bradley the ex FibDm Council leader, who is a fireman and drives an appliance, would have been called to put out.
Did he actually extinguish the burnt out car in Princes Avenue in the picture above?

 http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/04/warren-bradley-resigns-and-then-is.html

What happens for the future, Joe Anderson has to condemn the lost causes on the streets the other night that the Police sorted out (In reality it rained like stink).

Yes I would like to put most of them over my knee and tan their arses, but you know what would be better.......give the poor hopeless bastards a job, let them train as a joiner or a bricklayer so they can gain some self respect, so it never happens again. 

How can we respect hem if they don't respect themselves.

Trinity "Smoking" Mirror Get Both Barrels.

Sales and profits at UK newspaper group Trinity Mirror have continued their decline in the first half of the year.

Revenues dropped 2.9% to £371m in the 26 weeks to 3 July, the company's latest interim results revealed.
Profits before tax fell to £28.9m - with underlying profits down 17% to £41.9m.
The firm may not itself be immune from the hacking scandal.

Three or four cases are due to be brought against the firm, according to lawyer Mark Lewis, who is representing a number of claimants, including the family of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.
The firm said it was still too early to determine what impact there might be on its businesses from the public inquiry or an internal review of editorial controls.
"In addition the company has sought and received formal written confirmation from senior editorial executives... [that] they have not nor, to their knowledge, have any of their staff or anyone on their behalf, intercepted any telephone messages, made payments to serving police officers or accessed the police national computer."

However over at Oldham Hall Street everything seems fine, Trinity Mirror boosts investment.

Chief executive Sly Bailey said: “While the economic environment remains difficult we have undertaken a series of actions to limit the impact on operating profit.

“The roll-out of our technology led operating model continues to deliver efficiencies and today we have announced an increase in our 2011 cost savings target to £25m.
“At the same time we’re investing across the group to diversify and grow revenues.
“Following changes to the national Sunday newspaper market we are highly encouraged by the considerable circulation volume growth seen by our national Sunday titles.”

All this while Sly "Arse" Baily got a 300 grand bonus on top of her 600grand salary for making thousands of people redundant and leaving the local press exposed to accusations of shipping their own printing presses out of the city. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/07/liverpool-daily-ghost-reflecting-local.html
Did Alastair Machray the grim reaper really become a journalist to sack hundreds of people.
The real reason for loss of circulation is you just cant trust them at Trinity "Smoking" Mirror Group.

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Liverpool Burning-Toxteth Riots, Deja Vu

I sat watching the news last night and I heard the Police Sirens, just as I saw the image of a burning building in Tottenham. It looked strangely like the Rialto burning all those decades ago.
I thought, oh no not again, not 30 years after the Toxteth riots.
I recall thinkng where would they start would it be the deprived area of Toxteth which has had nothing of investment, when the city centre half a mile away has been flat-ulated?
Would it be Anfield? that looks like Beirut in places, or the Boot estate? Norris Green maybe?

No it was Lodge Lane, 30 years ago I seen the riots first hand.
Now I am lucky enough to not be there.
This morning I saw the Police Dog Vans parked up at Canning Street Police Headquarters where I served part of my apprenticeship and the Police car parked outside John Lewis at Grosvenor-pool that cost a billion pounds.
What good is this when you have no money I thought, it only serves to wind up the deprived section of society, the have nots.
The front page of The Daily Ghost said  "Speed cameras could be axed on Merseyside as councils struggle with cuts" What!!http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2011/08/09/speed-cameras-could-be-axed-on-merseyside-as-councils-struggle-with-cuts-92534-29201951/
The Echo carried a picture of a burning Liverpool and a statement from the Police on how they were caught out. Is this a lack of funds through Tory cuts?
 http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news//tm_headline=merseyside-police-assistant-chief-andy-ward-proud-of-his-officers-but-admits-force-were-caught-out-initially%26method=full%26objectid=29204172%26siteid=100252-name_page.html

Princes Avenue was also an area last night where cars were set alight.

Joe "tea and sympathy" Anderson condemns the violence in his buddy Liouse Ellman constituancy. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/04/louise-ellman-dame-of-dereliction-time.html
What has she been doing? Why is this area still deprived? The Dame of Dereliction.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news//tm_headline=liverpool-council-leader-joe-anderson-mayor-mps-and-community-workers-condemn-last-night-s-riots%26method=full%26objectid=29204127%26siteid=100252-name_page.html

The Echo says http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news//tm_headline=voice-of-the-echo-liverpool-mustn-t-let-these-yobs-ruin-everything-we-have-achieved-with-mindless-violence%26method=full%26objectid=29204193%26siteid=100252-name_page.html "It took Liverpool 30 years to rebuild a pride and a reputation shattered by the ravages of Thatcherism and the riots of Toxteth.

Two or three more nights like last night is all it will take to destroy them again".

That's easy for an editor Alastair Machray who along with the Daily Ghost lives on the Wirral.
The comments section talks about lack of respect for the Police.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/08/04/five-merseyside-police-matrix-officers-sacked-over-mobile-phone-pictures-taken-during-raids-100252-29174703/
5 Matrix officers were sacked last week for lewd behaviour. How can you respect these thugs.
This violence may be motivated by a lack of respect, I must admit whilst condemning any violence I lost respect too when I realised the Police got paid by the press.


So 30 years on The Regeneration con continues and the streets are burning again. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/06/louise-ellman-mp-dame-of-dereliction.html I know I was there last time, Just what is going to happen tonight?


Monday 8 August 2011

Wellington Rooms-Call This Regeneration.

The Wellington Rooms-Liverpools Disgrace.

They at the City Council talk of Regeneration and even have a Regeneration Officer appointedbyJo Anderson called Malcolm Kennedy, who it appears, to my mind, is so wrapped up with Peel Holdings that he cant see the true nature of our citys historic past.


What is the point in letting this historic building rot.
Here is a picture taken in 1989 by Jeremy Hawthorn, I hope he won't mind me using it.
I am revisiting a plea I made years ago.
click on the pic as a demonstration to save the buildng was unfurled all over it
It was on a calender that was published by The Nerve a local magazine that does its best to highlight some of the rubbish put out by council spin doctors. http://www.catalystmedia.org.uk/
How can this building be left to rot after a billion pounds of European objective one funding has been swagged to the cronies who have contacts in the North "Vested Interest" Development Agency.

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/06/joe-anderson-to-save-liverpools.html  What will Joe Anderson the Tory Cuts Reaper do.
Here is Correspondents take on the situation.
http://condensedthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/01/joe-anderson-implements-tory-cuts.html

The Wellington Rooms in Mount Pleasant were once described as a ‘house of mirth and revelry’. They were erected after funds were raised by public subscription in 1815.
An Adaptation of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates of Athens, which was illustrated in the influential publication by Stuart and Revelt Antiquities of Athens.
It had a porch on one side for the setting down of sedan chairs.
The Portico was originally open but was found to be draughty and a disfigurement to the original design was made with the blocking up.
A ballroom of some 80ft by 40ft it had a card room and a supper room.
It was thought to have been frequented by the upper classes, as subscription balls, assemblies and occasional fancy dress balls.
How that description conjures up the most remarkable images of Georgian Liverpool. A Maritime City at the nucleus of its upward growth taking it to the city of its height in the early 20th century.
I grew up with it being known as The Irish Centre in the 70s and 80s, and ignorant of these facts relating the building back to the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleons defeat by the then axis powers under the leadership of the Duke of Wellington.

It was 2008 that I highlighted its plight in a walkabout with Peter Elson. And this Georgian gem still rots.
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-life-features/liverpool-special-features/2008/01/29/living-on-the-eve-of-destruction-64375-20405391/  This was for the Daily Ghost.
The deterioration seems to have been helped by the lead on the roof going missing. What state inside to the plasterwork?
There were ghastly plans to develop it by sticking a rubic cube sort of extension on the back, this was done by a consortium of Flanagans, the local builders.
 Did one of the Flans go to Shanghai as a guest of one of the senior, very senior members of the council.
 The plans looked more like a sketch on the back of a jerry-builders ciggy packet than a professionals work . http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/tm_method=full&objectid=20615285&siteid=50061-name_page.html

On the English Heretic at risk register for as long as I can remember. Henry Owen John http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-life-features/liverpool-special-features/2008/03/22/the-changing-face-of-liverpool-64375-20658839/  the area director should be ashamed of himself as should the joker who was the Historic Buildings advisor Peter De Figeurido who let it rot while sucking up to the developers of Mann Island, who it is alleged is now working for Peel Holdings.
 Click the link above to see him and the Reichmarshal Nigel Lee making excuses after my article sent waves out about the neglect. Waffling on about the joke about Liver Building Controversy.
While today the Royal Liver is to leave its spiritual home. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news//tm_headline=jobs-axed-as-royal-liver-head-office-in-liverpool-to-close%26method=full%26objectid=29196403%26siteid=100252-name_page.html With the loss of 110 jobs. Now there is contoversy.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/pdf/190609north_west_2009_har_register.pdf  
And what of Chris Griffiths and Steve Corbett of the useless Liverpool Conservation office.
Next to it and with objective one funding an extension was built on the Gibbard Cathedral, that Oscar Niemeyer rip off, Paddys Wigwam while this wonderful little Georgian gem lies there, rotting, a forlorn looking Mausoleum to Liverpools Regeneration Con.

A disgrace. The Council Have Powers to Save This Historic Gem.

Thursday 4 August 2011

Merseytravel-Mark Dowd and his Expense Claims Are To Be Investigated By The District Auditor.

This time it is Councillor Mark Dowd under the spotlight.
THE district auditor has been asked to investigate Merseytravel chairman Mark Dowd’s spending on the transport authority’s credit card.



Cllr Dowd has come under fire for using the transport authority’s credit card to pay for his attendance at Labour party conferences, theatre tickets, and a trip to Alcatraz in the USA.
Merseytravel can state unequivocally that all items of Cllr Dowd's personal expenditure were reimbursed in full in an appropriately timely manner.  It was reported.

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2011/08/04/merseytravel-chairman-mark-dowd-s-credit-card-spending-under-the-microscope-92534-29174022/
 Granada Reports, or was it BBC Northwest ran an expose recently about this matter. They seemed pretty confident about their claims.

The Merseytravel credit card spending was revealed in a Freedom of Information request.

Cllr Blakeley ecently said it was not appropriate that Cllr Dowd used the Merseytravel credit card for personal expenditure, even though it was reimbursed.

Cllr Dowd was not available for comment, to the local press, but a Merseytravel spokesman said he was considering taking legal action against Cllr Makinson, alleging he had made “malicious and libellous claims”.

He would wouldnt he.
Miserytravel seem to have a habit of wanting to sue anyone who question them.
They tried to gag us in what Correspondent called Mersetravel's Clumsy Attempt at Censorship. http://condensedthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/05/merseytravels-clumsy-attempt-at.html

Meanwhile the City does not even have a landing stage.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/05/neil-scales-of-miserytravel-where-is.html
For the Mersey Ferries.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/05/ferry-across-mersey-miserytravel.html
Despite Millions being spent by Herr Director Neil Scales.

Watch Neil Scales talking about his folly the U-534 that he instructed to be sectioned and got annoyed because it was suggested he was a Moron for cuttig up a piece of history that was rscued and arged to Liverpool.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/05/neil-scales-and-merseytravel-spend.html


The Miserytravel Gravy Train and its Senior Management Are, in my opinion, Out Of Control.
 http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/05/why-did-merseytravel-spend-42-million.html


Wayne

Monday 1 August 2011

LIVER BUILDING DENIGRATION-By Liverpool City Council

 Why are we paying Liverpool city council officials to bring down the Liver Buildings as a symbol of the city?
To Denigrate them.


Why are they intent on continually scraping together as much negativity about the Liver buildings as they possibly can.

To Denigrate them.


Why does every council official, that you pay, at the earliest opportunity slag off the Icon of the city?

 To Denigrate them.


Why are these people being allowed to get away with propagating untruths?

Is it opinion for hire Peter de Figueiredo http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/09/peter-de-figueiredo-opinion-for-hire.html who was the Historic Buildings advisor for English Heritage when Liverpool Vision put the idea for the ier Head forward? 
Who is now employed by Peel Holdings.

Well its easy the World Heritage Site has been destroyed and they want you the public to believe there was some almighty controversy surrounding Liverpool's waterfront. See pic above of the Port Of Liverpool Buildings now,with a giant Lean-To.   http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/07/museum-of-liverpool-nominated-for.html 

There was no controversy whatsoever, there may have been debate and sour grapes on the part of the owners of the Port of Liverpool Building who wanted their building to be the symbol of the city............and that's it.
 There is no credible reason for anyone to state there was controversy at the time of the building of the Port of Liverpool Buildings and the Liver.


Unless you had no pride in the city and had vested interests in slagging off the Liver Buildings.

So lets ask who it is doing it, Joe Anderson recently defended Peel Holdings proposals several times by slagging off the Liver Buildings believing that if he says it enough times the public would believe it.......what is the point in that, why bring down your city. Why Denegrate.

http://m.bdonline.co.uk/comment/debate/is-liverpool-waters-a-threat-to-the-city%E2%80%99s-heritage?/5021960.article
He says "This week, we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the iconic Liver Building. At the time of its construction, it too was hugely controversial and divided opinion. A century on, a Liverpool waterfront without the Liver Building is completely unthinkable". 
This was in BD magazine. See Terminal Ferry Carbuncle above for controversy.

Every opportunity they send a councillor out to top up the untruths....so you may believe them eventually.
Paul Brandt did the same denigrating speech, yards away from me while I was waiting to do a BBC Northwest interview, he did almost say “When they built the Liver Buildings, err hundreds, err, and then covered himself, err, tens of years ago”, reminiscent of the famous Warren Bradley “When they built the Liver Buildings 800 years ago” speech on BBC.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.liverpoollabour.org/NewsandPictures/Warren_Bradley_Confusion_Over_Three_Graces.aspx The Labour Party even have a swipe at him on their website.
Paul Brandt was very active before the last election. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/04/mann-island-is-penny-finally-dropping.html
Talking about The Three Black Coffins at Mann Island, he said.
 “I like the buildings. I think they’re great buildings, but I think they’re in the wrong place or on the wrong scale or massing. (Clever man).
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2010/04/26/protected-views-of-liverpool-s-three-graces-lost-to-new-mann-island-development-92534-26317623/
Funny That I didn’t see him or hear him objecting he then continues.
It seemed to me to be madness to be downgrading views of some of our architectural heritage in a way that might make it less attractive to visit, especially as these areas were deemed to be so exemplar that they were given World Heritage status.
“It’s a major piece of investment and what was there before – the Mann Island car place – was hardly exemplar.”
He added that the building’s impact on the views has not taken him by surprise because he had looked at models of the area before they were built.
But he said: “I’m deeply disappointed that those views are now being lost. It’s bizarre that Liverpool residents now have to go to Birkenhead to see that best view of the Three Graces.”

Interesting...............



So is it a Liverpool City Council directive, right from the top that states, if you get any opportunity slag off the Liver Buildings, while you are there make up a load of bull about controversy a hundred years ago and then this may justify the current carbunculation crop?


Is it because they want Joe Andersons friends at Peel Holdings and their lobby group DLIB, led by Frank McSpiv, to be given a free hand, something that Unesco will now stop, by giving the DCMS directives, that will in turn be passed on with planning orders, to the inept and pathetic Liverpool planners, who cant even read their own planning documents.
That were prepared to stop, under Unesco directive, them cocking up the rest of the WHS, away from the Liver Buildings. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2011/07/liverpool-waters-back-to-drawing-board.html
pic Joe Anderson with Lindsay Ashworth of Peel Holdings
So lets see if you, if you the public, believe the Liver Building lies, could you then be stupid enough to think that the complete architectural carbunculation of Liverpool's Pier Head, a World Heritage Site will be alright, because in some distant time in the past it was all thought to be controversy and you will all love it one day.

If I tell you enough times Joe Anderson is clever and understands our architectural history, will you believe me..............not a chance.

They have cocked it up the symbol of the city Joe Anderson as part of Liverpool Vision did it, and they at the Council, think if they lie to you often enough it will pull the wool over the public eyes.

I think the good people of Liverpool are clever enough to see through the LIVER BUILDING LIES and see the only thing that is controversial about the Liver buildings is why our own city council are spreading them.

Remember what we had.