Mr Brocklebank's World Wide Web Log

AT LEAST business-friendly Liverpool finally got its act together. A bus in Dale Street carried a message for a city centre autumn business fair.

Continue reading "None of your bus-iness" »

APPARENTLY, when the current Private Eye edition featuring Liverpool’s dire redevelopment controversies was shown to Cllr David Irving, Liverpool City planning committee chairman, he replied: “Many thanks for your concern, to put it in the words of Catherine Tate, ‘Am I bovvered?’.”

Is this the same Cllr Irving who was a committee member during the controversial demolition of 6 Sir Thomas Street and the even more controversial Pier Head – Mann Island redevelopment which took Liverpool to the brink of being stripped of World Heritage Site status?

Continue reading "Why Cllr Irving really should be Bovvered" »

FANCY that! Stung by countless times that English Heritage activities (or lack of them) in Liverpool have been heavily criticised in national satirical magazine Private Eye, the organisation made an official complaint.

Continue reading "The Eyes have it" »

THE Manchester-based AEW Architects, chosen by National Museums Liverpool to replace sacked award-winning Danish architects 3XN on the new Museum of Liverpool Mann Island project, lists major clients McDonald’s Restaurants and Total Fitness Centres on its website. Can we look forward to Big Macs, fries and a free top-up tan at the gala opening?

LIVERPOOL’S economic upturn was confirmed by the sight of a Bugatti Veron, the world’s fastest production car, parked in Moorfields. Not fast enough, though, to stop our fleet-footed traffic attendants crowning it with a ticket. One for the national parking awards!

WHEN will Merseyrail mugwumps learn the non-arrival of a train is a certain cause of inconvenience to its long-suffering public?

The present mealy-mouthed announcement for the latest failure, as in "Merseyrail would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause", is in almost every true circumstance nonsensical.

Continue reading "Any chance of honesty, Merseyrail?" »

IS THE naming of the Bling Building by Grosvenor’s Liverpool One a further distressing lapse into informality – or an example of this city’s celebrated honesty?

MR BROCKLEBANK warmly applauds the stern rebuke delivered to the elders of the Roman Catholic Church, in Liverpool, for their failure to find a fitting use for St Mary of the Angels church, in Fox Street, Everton Brow, from Dr Richard Pollard, of California, great- nephew of White Star Line heiress Amy Elizabeth Imrie, who founded, financed and furnished the church.

Continue reading "California delivers some common sense" »

CARS impounded for various road offences are displayed outside Merseyside Police HQ, at Canning Place. Is this the modern equivalent of having the decapitated heads of wrong-doers on poles over the city gates?

NEVER one to exacerbate international diplomatic tension, Mr Brocklebank feels impelled to report that Merseyside sources firmly deny that the Swiss government, on behalf of a Zurich group for height- challenged bankers, is demanding that the four gnomes on the facade of the Hard Day’s Night Hotel should be restored to their rightful place in the Basle Cuckoo Clock, William Tell & Holey Cheese Theme Park.

"The truth of the matter is that these are figures based on a little known troupe of strolling players. Their names are George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and John Lennon," says an exasperated hotel spokesman, "but I’m beginning to despair of anyone accepting that.

Continue reading "Are the Fab Four really just Swiss gnomes?" »