Mr Brocklebank's World Wide Web Logtag:,2008:/2382008-04-15T12:23:34Z
Mr Brocklebank has joined the digital age to relay his musings to the good people of Merseyside and Cheshire via the internet. He will update regularly so make use of the bookmark facility on your browser, if you desire to do so.
Movable Type 3.31None of your bus-inesstag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.440812008-04-15T12:11:33Z2008-04-15T12:23:34ZAT LEAST business-friendly Liverpool finally got its act together. A bus in Dale Street carried a message for a city centre autumn business fair....Mr Brocklebank
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.
But closer inspection revealed the ad was for a fair happening last October. As comedian Jim Bowen says: “Let’s see what you could have learned.”
Why Cllr Irving really should be Bovveredtag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.440802008-04-14T08:07:45Z2008-04-14T08:08:26Z 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,...Mr Brocklebank
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? ]]>
Ps: IS IT true that when a developer aboard Liverpool council’s luxury floating gin palace at MIPIM, the Nice property convention, was told about these shenanigans, he replied: “Am I bevvied”?]]>
The Eyes have ittag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.440792008-04-13T12:07:05Z2008-04-13T12:07:22ZFANCY 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....Mr Brocklebank
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.
The Eye took no time in firing a counterblast, reminding English Heritage that, if it got its act together, then there would be no criticisms. Forget CCTV, English Heritage should remember that the eyes are always watching . . .
Liverpool looks forward to some Mc-culture?tag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.440822008-04-12T12:12:43Z2008-04-13T12:13:25ZTHE 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...Mr Brocklebank
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?
Vroom Vroom!tag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.440832008-04-11T12:13:40Z2008-04-13T12:14:09ZLIVERPOOL’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...Mr Brocklebank
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!
Any chance of honesty, Merseyrail?tag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.424222008-03-31T00:18:04Z2008-03-31T00:32:10ZWHEN 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...Mr Brocklebank
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.
However, in mitigation, these are local journeys. Recently, at Liverpool Lime Street, the cancellation of the service to Norwich was announced with the same lame words apologising for "any inconvenience this may cause". MAY? It is colossally inconvenient to reschedule a Liverpool – Norwich journey. Two weeks ago at Moorfields, announcing a cancellation, the Merseyrail operative did say "we apologise for the inconvenience this will cause" – but that’s presumably a one-off statistical aberration.
Bling Bling!tag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.424212008-03-30T00:17:13Z2008-03-30T00:22:56ZIS 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
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?
California delivers some common sensetag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.424202008-03-29T00:16:10Z2008-03-29T00:21:14ZMR 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...Mr Brocklebank
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.
As Dr Pollard notes, £1m has been found to "disfigure" this church as a rehearsal hall, but no money was forthcoming when the congregation asked for council and ecclesiastical leaders to help it stay open as a place of worship.
String em up, Mr Hogan-Howetag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.424192008-03-28T00:15:34Z2008-03-28T00:19:59ZCARS 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?...Mr Brocklebank
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?
Are the Fab Four really just Swiss gnomes?tag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.424182008-03-27T00:14:28Z2008-03-27T00:19:32ZNEVER 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...Mr Brocklebank
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.
"Should we have a competition to rename them?" (see previous Brocklebanks).
Meanwhile, a bemused Japanese tourist gazed upward at a hotel satellite dish, singing a mournful lament: "Above us only sky . . ."
So generous, the city counciltag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.402212008-03-03T23:30:36Z2008-03-27T00:19:32ZFOR a city council which routinely pleads poverty, Liverpool showed exceptional generosity in 2006 by spending £200,000 to prop up the historic Georgian terrace of Nos 68, 70 and 72, Seel Street....Mr Brocklebank
FOR a city council which routinely pleads poverty, Liverpool showed exceptional generosity in 2006 by spending £200,000 to prop up the historic Georgian terrace of Nos 68, 70 and 72, Seel Street.
Now, in an astonishing cave-in, the council has agreed owner Frenson can immediately demolish the row entirely, in spite of previously revised permission to remove the back, providing the facade was retained.
While council executive member for heritage Cllr Berni Turner blames Frenson, why didn’t the council monitor its big investment properly? With Frenson also claiming the adjacent 64-66, Seel Street is unsafe, will Cllr Turner retreat again?
Is that the Queen? Or Vera Lynn?tag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.402202008-03-02T23:29:48Z2008-03-27T00:19:32ZWRITER Fay Weldon has told on her friend and Crosby’s greatest living novelist, Dame Beryl Bainbridge....Mr Brocklebank
WRITER Fay Weldon has told on her friend and Crosby’s greatest living novelist, Dame Beryl Bainbridge.
She revealed last week how Beryl complained to the woman sitting next to her at a 10, Downing Street literary lunch that the event was “boring and ghastly” and she was “dying for a smoke”. A friend dragged her away, saying: “You can’t speak to the Queen like that”. To which Beryl replied: “I thought she was Vera Lynn.”
Impatient touriststag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.402192008-03-01T23:29:06Z2008-03-27T00:19:32ZWHILE promenading in the city, Mr Brocklebank was button-holed by an over-excited visitor, his faced etched with impatience, who shouted: “I’ve been sold this ticket by Ryanair to come to the city of culture and it’s the city of holes.”...Mr Brocklebank
WHILE promenading in the city, Mr Brocklebank was button-holed by an over-excited visitor, his faced etched with impatience, who shouted: “I’ve been sold this ticket by Ryanair to come to the city of culture and it’s the city of holes.”
Surely the tourists aren’t already turning on us? Don’t they realise it will be finished in 2009? Well, 2010, or maybe 2011-12-ish?
Mistaken identity?tag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.402182008-02-29T23:28:22Z2008-03-27T00:19:32ZHOW amusing that the celebrated late sculptor Arthur Dooley was commemorated by the Band of the Irish Guards playing at Liverpool Academy....Mr Brocklebank
HOW amusing that the celebrated late sculptor Arthur Dooley was commemorated by the Band of the Irish Guards playing at Liverpool Academy.
Many moons ago, Dooley absconded from this very regiment (allegedly in a tank) while serving in Palestine and joined the PLO freedom fighters, before being detained in the glass-house at Her Majesty’s Pleasure. Should not the organisers have booked the Ramallah Silver and Camel-Hoof String Band?
And so the rot continues to set intag:brocklebank.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://238.355512008-01-13T17:51:21Z2008-03-27T00:19:32ZLIVERPOOL Lib-Dem executive Cllr Flo Clucas was officially cleared of accusations by Labour group leader Cllr Joe Anderson that she helped block plans to redevelop the former Irish Centre, in Mount Pleasant....Mr Brocklebank
LIVERPOOL Lib-Dem executive Cllr Flo Clucas was officially cleared of accusations by Labour group leader Cllr Joe Anderson that she helped block plans to redevelop the former Irish Centre, in Mount Pleasant.
More important is why the council continues to let rot this Grade II-star listed property, built in 1815 as Wellington Assembly Rooms. As celebrated photographer Edward Chambré Hardman’s nearby studio-home, at 59 Rodney Street, is too small to display his archive, would not the Wellington, with its big top-lit public rooms, be ideal?