This article is from last year but it appears from driving past the site that work has started on this building recently after being enveloped in capital of culture banners for quite some time now.


"Unite gives Transport House new lease of life
Transport House, the former Transport and General Workers’ Union (TGWU) building on Commutation Row in Liverpool city centre is to be given a major refurbishment by its new owner Unite the Union.

The move comes after negotiations to sell the freehold on the building were completed by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), city centre regeneration company Liverpool Vision and Unite.

Planning consent has been granted to refurbish the entire building creating a 30,000 sq ft District HQ for Unite including a complete re-cladding of the exterior with a sandstone render that will be in-keeping with the appearance of other buildings in the area and provide a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.

Transport House has been vacant since the year 2000 and occupies a key gateway location on the main road approach to the city centre from the M62.

Martin Lloyd, Head of Property at the NWDA, said: “This building sits in a key location in Liverpool and its revival will help to continue the transformation of the city centre. The NWDA is pleased to have been able to play a role in bringing it back into productive use.”

Mike Ryder, Property Executive for Purple Apple, Property Managers for the Union, said: “We are delighted we have been able to reacquire this iconic property and are looking forward to breathing fresh life back into it. The building will have a significant impact on the area and promote the profile of Unite the Union, the largest Union in Great Britain. When refurbishment is completed the building will be renamed as Jack Jones House.”

Chief Executive of Liverpool Vision Jim Gill said: “This is a key building that welcomes thousands of visitors entering the city centre every day.

“It has been vacant for far too long and it is important for the city centre that it is being brought back into use.”

The refurbishment is expected to commence in April this year and take around nine months to complete. It is anticipated that the building will be fully operational early in 2009.

Unite the Union was established in 2007 following a merger between TGWU and Amicus. The Union is currently jointly led by Wirral born Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The full name for the merged union is Unite the union but is commonly abbreviated to Unite.

Jack Jones was the former leader of the TGWU and was born in Garston in 1913. See link for details.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Jones_(trade_union_leader)

For further information please contact:

Steve Sanders at SKV PR. Tel 0161 838 7770 / 07971 079 314

Sarah Moston at NWDA. Tel 01925 400 552

Does anyone have any renders for this redevelopment?
This is the building near William Brown street/ London road isnt it, if so, work seems to be coming along nicely.

:lol:


News-speak.


They emptied the building in order to redevelop the site, as it was 'unsuitable'.. now they are celebrating a reclad!

It was never going to be anything other than a small scale redevelopemnt, so good news that it's starting, although I did think it was gonig to get an extra floor for some reason.

Yeah, I've read of nothing other than a refurb planned for this building. Funny that it's been let back to the same union that previously occupied it though.

I've always thought that there was nothing wrong with the original. It is far superior to the 'exemplar' Commutation row next door.

The original colour was chosen to be 'in keeping' when it was designed. I met the architect once and the tale he had to tell of interference was awful.

There's definately something going on here! New steel work visible in the top corner. Has anyone got a link to any of the renders for this rennovation project? I seem to have a vague memory of them, but don't know if the plans have changed since then.

Either way this is good news because the building (in its present state) has been an eyesore on a major thoroughfare for far too long now.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/3253/02072009810.jpg


http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/60/02072009811.jpg

Regarding the closure of the TGWU building and its location I remember that an idea was proposed to create a new theatre on the site - which I would have thought was too small but maybe they had an idea of creating a theatre district in support of the Empire. As a teenager I was just glad that they built the TGWU building if for no other reason that it closed down the open view from Lime Street / Commutation row, which made `town` a little more complete. Same applied to the Cown courts at Derby Square, the city centre began to look just a little less isolated from the rest of the city following the massive destruction of the `inner city` for the roads in the sky and our aborted ring road.....and disputed merits.

Some interesting construction going on there Tom. Thanks for posting those pics.

erm, rethink that one...

http://www.staff.ljmu.ac.uk/beshpate/Picture%20016.jpg

http://www.staff.ljmu.ac.uk/beshpate/Picture%20024.jpg

Is this demolition taking place?

Are we demolishing this to replace it with nothing?

I've just noticed the top of the thread. Glad to see this getting refurbished.

Thank you so much for the post. It's really useful.

pret personnel en ligne (http://simulationpretpersonnel.com) - Pret personnel en ligne et de comparer les meilleurs taux afin de... La demande de prêt personnel en ligne

update.. (cant really see much!)

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x167/yoshef/transporthouse.jpg

Ooooops

Sounds good. I've not been in it but I've always like the look of the roof garden in New Hall Place. Luscious-lookin lawn.

Nice to see progress being made though any updates on the Vermont Tower? that seems to have gone dead (sighs) nice build too.

http://web.onetel.net.uk/~howardpaterson/uploads/T&G1.jpg

Nice to see progress being made though any updates on the Vermont Tower? that seems to have gone dead (sighs) nice build too.

It is not dead

The new colour and Unite logo just about visible at the back of the building.
http://www.staff.ljmu.ac.uk/beshpate/Picture%20040.jpg

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj32/buggedboy/ABCD0011-1.jpg

Looks a lot better, could do with a dome or something though.

Think I prefer the old look, cheers for the update BB

Think I prefer the old look, cheers for the update BB

Sadly I think I agree. The old look was almost 'back in'. This already looks dated. I also thought that they we're going to extend the height (not sure why?).

They have extended the height. It is a storey higher than it was, particularly the turrets.

Maybe the ground floor will be stunning and completely change our perceptions of it :runaway:

If it's fully occupied then I can live with it.

Taller is better. But that nasty painted render. The old 'crete was fine -- and as T0m says back en vogue). It only needed cleaning. The new yellow paint already looks dirty. I hate custard.

its a terrible design, and dated. Their polishing a turd.

There could have been something impressive their, contrasting and modern. Instead we have a brutalist mistake with a lick of yellow paint to "reference" the old....I would hardly call yellow custard in keeping.

But I suppose its the economy at the moment and the jobs its brings to an otherwise disused building.

Nothing contrasting will get built around there. Ever.

No point worrying about it too much.

Nothing contrasting will get built around there. Ever.

No point worrying about it too much.

Shame though, it would be nice to see something more interesting, saying that, it would be nice to rebuild commutation row as a TATE 2 with a modern style perhaps, re-arrange the "motorway" at the back of the Walker/islington and encourage some urban density up there.

Nevermind, maybe one day : )

commutation row could do with some Mann Island style reflective cladding

It reminds me of Banana Nesquick.

Is that staining already on the right hand tower?

Bodes well.

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj32/buggedboy/ABCD0011-1.jpg

That building ought to be placed in custardy.. :shifty:

It is apt that this building should be the home of Unite. In a way, it sums up the modern trade union movement rather well. An unsatisfactory and cheesey masking of something that had its heyday in the 1970s. Or was it the 80s? And by the looks of things, it was shit back then as well.

I see the palette ("yellow vomit") is a pathetic attempt to reflect the york stone of St George's Hall. A totally unsatisfactory and mean building, it should have been demolished and replaced with what was there before. I'm sure I saw a picture once of that part of Liverpool and the whole area in that corner was beautifully enclosed by some old Georgian buildings. Would it really be so expensive to reinstate those - even if it means using false facades on a modern office building? Do you know how much the head honcho at Unite is paid? That organisation can afford to do much better than this.

They tried to polish a turd but by the looks of things couldn't find the duster. :ohno:

I pass this building everyday. I think the additional floor has improved it and it is not as yellow as it appears on the photo above. It is after all just a refurbishment of an existing building unlike Commutation Row opposite that was demolished and replaced with a new build that looks just as bad if not worse than the Unite building. As regards trade unions, they may not be perfect but your working conditions would be far worse without them.

PS There is a picture of the area from 1928 on the 'Old and Victorian Liverpool - Black 'n' White photos' thread here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=32323638&postcount=100).

http://www.staff.ljmu.ac.uk/beshpate/Picture%20047.JPG

http://www.staff.ljmu.ac.uk/beshpate/Picture%20048.JPG

Whoa, psychadelic.

Whoa, psychadelic.

Apols for the image quality. Just wanted to show that the building it is not as yellow as this thread suggests. The colour is very similar to that on the back of the old County Sessions Court building.

I agree that it's not as bad in real life as it appears in some of the pics on here. I didn't like the original, I dislike this slightly less so it's a 'win' for me.

PS There is a picture of the area from 1928 on the 'Old and Victorian Liverpool - Black 'n' White photos' thread here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=32323638&postcount=100).


Thanks for digging that out, Howie. What a heart breaker to see Islington looking like that compared with how it looks now.

I agree that it's not as bad in real life as it appears in some of the pics on here. I didn't like the original, I dislike this slightly less so it's a 'win' for me.

I don't agree, I think it looks every bit as bad in the flesh. Worse actually when you see it in relation to the lovely golden sandstone of the William Brown Street buildings.

However, I can live with the design, and all that's needed is a repaint, so it's not a total loss - however the chances of that happening anytime in the next 10 years are pretty low!

http://www.staff.ljmu.ac.uk/beshpate/Picture%20051.jpg

It will look great when the trees are in leaf :runaway:

http://web.onetel.net.uk/~howardpaterson/uploads/smIMG_0023.jpg

Good capture.


I wonder what the statue is thinking ...

I think that photo helps demonstrate why the colour is just a few shades 'off' for the area. It's just too yellow. Like custard yellow. It seems as though they were stuck between standing out and blending in, and tried to do both, and failed.

The re-design isn't bad and the height and massing fit the area well, so it's not a disaster by any means, it just seems like an odd choice. I guess that over time wheathering will take the edge off the colour and it may start to blend a little better.

Yes, I have to concede that it does look a lot yellower in the sunlight. It did look better on a cloudy grey day. As you say tho' it will weather over time.

Does anybody know what is happening here? I notice that the Unite logos are being removed from the building and taken off the hoardings. :?

Taking a stab in the dark, I'd guess the removal from the building could be so they can more easily re-paint the exterior to tone down the custard paint-job, as it wouldn't surprise me if there've been comments forwarded to the council about it. As for the hoardings, presumably they may be re-used on another site, and thus any site specific details would need to be removed?

Yes, I have to concede that it does look a lot yellower in the sunlight. It did look better on a cloudy grey day. As you say tho' it will weather over time.
The yellow will surely fade and weather in though, just give it time and rain.

Mind you, I used to think how blackened and grimed was the natural state of buildings. That's how post-war Liverpool was, the effect largely of the blitz fires, and it seemed so much the natural order to a kid.

I don't think it is too yellow; it will probably tone down a bit with the effect of the sun and pollution in a couple of years.

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/3674/p1000835e.jpg


http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/9523/p1000816.jpg

brian.mason32 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/33593746@N03/4908847590/in/pool-52242121198@N01/)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4908847590_660a2c8013_b.jpg

^^^^That is absolutey shocking ! cheap looking isn't the word. It looks like it's made from cardboard boxes.Business Park crap in such a prominent location. :bash:

Does anyone have a before pic? I think it is much improved on how it used to look, particularly with the addition of the extra height.

Found one!

http://www.labournet.net/ukunion/0805/eddie1a.jpg

Does anyone have a before pic? I think it is much improved on how it used to look, particularly with the addition of the extra height.

Have to disagree there Howie. The previous or pre-reclad was a building of its time,the late 1970's early 80's, similar to the Customs Bulding on Queen's Dock, inoffensive stuff. This looks like it's been clad in tin, the pre-refurb at least looked solid ,even if it was concrete. Just my opinion..but it's bad...very bad.

It was a pig's ear of a building before and it's still one now. At least it doesn't look like an abandoned, semi-derelict one. So that's a big plus.

Does the feature lighting change colour when the traffic lights change ?:nuts:

Big improvement, but like a few other buildings around town looks better at night.

http://www.staff.ljmu.ac.uk/beshpate/pIMG_0170.jpg

Why's it called after uber-cunt jack jones?

Jeez. I wouldn't have even noticed that extra floor if it hadn't been pointed out.

Also, why's it even in Liverpool? Surely it should be in the centre of British, nay,world agitation, manc(hehe).

Jeez. I wouldn't have even noticed that extra floor if it hadn't been pointed out.

Also, why's it even in Liverpool? Surely it should be in the centre of British, nay,world agitation, manc(hehe).

:lol::lol: WTF has it got do with you what it's called? you fuckin creepy cunt.

Why's it called after uber-cunt jack jones?

It's actually sponsored by uber-fashionable Jack Jones clothing brand as part of a new union / business partnership initiative thingymebob, comrade.

They would have preferred to call it the Margaret Thatcher Memorial House but in the absence of her death, naming it after a great trade unionist will suffice.

PoolCool / Golden vision, Fellas any chance you could tone down you language,
we have ladies and youngsters reading these forums. Thanks

PoolCool / Golden vision, Fellas any chance you could tone down you language,
we have ladies and youngsters reading these forums. Thanks

Will do Woody.apologies. Not an excuse but it was in response to a particularly distasteful post.

Cheers GV.

Accy has finally hit puberty, Wooders, and Awayo only wears stiletto heels and answers to the name 'Tina' on a Thursday. So lay off GV, eh, as your 'ladies and youngsters' remark is slightly off target. :bash:

However, I do agree with naming it after Maggie. If only to justify stuffing it with dynamite. Maybe offer her a guided tour and implode it when she's viewing the basement?

Gonna bin this laptop. It's garbage.

Tina Malone. Yes, rumbled.

It'll be all those pies you have stashed about your person 'Wayo. :)

Accy has finally hit puberty, Wooders, and Awayo only wears stiletto heels and answers to the name 'Tina' on a Thursday. So lay off GV, eh, as your 'ladies and youngsters' remark is slightly off target. :bash:

What are you twittering on about CROW:nuts: I found the gratuitous use of foul language unnecassary. GV has acknowledged this , so Mr CROW your retort is way off the mark:bash:

Awayo, in stiletto`s or wellies will always be a lady, :lol: The good folk of Formby would demand it, no harlots allowed in the sandhills.:ohno:

Gonna bin this laptop. It's garbage.

The only garbage on your laptop, is what you type into it:lol:

Ooooh! Get you, Wooly! :nuts:

When're you up for a Saturday meetup? :cheers:

Ooooh! Get you, Wooly! :nuts:

When're you up for a Saturday meetup? :cheers:

Not sure, I am working all this weekend, so could be the following Saturday, 16-10-10. will let you know next week. :cheers:

Could make the 16th, seeing as I can't get anybody to cover my Sunday shift. Missus is gonna have my ticket. :(

:lol::lol: WTF has it got do with you what it's called? you fuckin creepy cunt.

Is GV a chick?

It's actually sponsored by uber-fashionable Jack Jones clothing brand as part of a new union / business partnership initiative thingymebob, comrade.

You're not bob greaves are you?

Jack jones was a phoney. prince charles, probably made him cum in his silk knickers.

Is GV a chick?

Definitely male, how about you? are you actually human or just a computer virus? which one of your many incarnations are we expected to respond to. Anyway, you're pretty big on revisionism aren't you? particularly concerning Liverpool and Trade Unions. According to you and your visceral hatred of anything to do Trade Unions Liverpool has no history to speak of in the Trade Union movement. OK, let's skip the 1st 50 or so years of the movement of which the manufacturing towns such as Manchester were at the forefront of the development and formation. The first recorded strike was in Liverpool was in 1756 but the most famous was the seaman's strike in 1775, when the seamen stormed the Town Hall, unarmed they were met with gunfire by armed guards(they were carrying a red flag with red ribbons in their bonnets:lol:) Peterloo Fields happened 40 years later but got all the publicity, typical Manchester bias:lol: By 1891 Liverpool had the biggest membership of any Trades Council outside London. Manchester may have played a more important role in the formation of the Trade Union movement but Liverpool has been more active in actually fighting for the rights of its members, certainly for the last 120 years. edited for Woody !

It's incredible what forms in peoples heads from an internet forum. Still, I'd expect you to be able to read and understand a simple statement.

I was taking the piss out of mancs, obviously, and where does anti-unionism come into this? My problem is with jack jones(uber-cunt).

It's incredible what forms in peoples heads from an internet forum. Still, I'd expect you to be able to read and understand a simple statement.

I was taking the piss out of mancs, obviously, and where does anti-unionism come into this? My problem is with jack jones(uber-cunt).

And your problem with a Liverpudlian who spent his life fighting for the rights and freedoms of ordinary people is?

Let's start with him turning down the freedom of the city of Liverpool.

Let's start with him turning down the freedom of the city of Liverpool.

He turned down a peerage as well - so what!

Do you really think they're comparable?

No doubt it really embarassed the old suck-up in front of his (posh)lefty mates in london to be associated with a place that "only existed because of the slave trade".

He didn't seem the type to try to refute that.

Hard to deny though that from fighting fascism in Spain, through his decades of union work and his later activities for the pensioners' movement, Jack Jones did more for the ordinary British people than most. However, having said that, this thread is supposed to be about the refurbishment of a building rather than the former TGWU General Secretary that it was named after. And, I do think the building has been greatly improved.

http://www.staff.ljmu.ac.uk/beshpate/pIMG_0170.jpg
Jack Jones House (formerly Transport House)

Hard to deny though that from fighting fascism in Spain, through his decades of union work and his later activities for the pensioners' movement, Jack Jones did more for the ordinary British people than most. However, having said that, this thread is supposed to be about the refurbishment of a building rather than the former TGWU General Secretary that it was named after. And, I do think the building has been greatly improved.
http://www.staff.ljmu.ac.uk/beshpate/pIMG_0170.jpg
Jack Jones House (formerly Transport House)

Got to agree with that. And it is being used too, so no complaints here!:)

Plaque for Spanish Civil War dead at Liverpool's Unite

A plaque with the names of those from Merseyside who lost their lives fighting in the Spanish Civil War has found a permanent home in Liverpool.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/49531000/jpg/_49531644_177327.jpg
The plaque remembers those who died defending the
Spanish government

The memorial, with the names of 27 local people, has been unveiled at the Unite building in Islington.

Continues (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-11557915) >>

^^^^ Good one.

^^

Great idea, looks lovely, but I would have thought it should have some Spanish on it, rather than only being in English.

Great idea, looks lovely, but I would have thought it should have some Spanish on it, rather than only being in English.
Probably not.

Apart from the plaque being too historic to change, Spanish is generally taken to mean español which was basically the language of the fascists.

Conversely the Republicans in the civil war were largely from the peripheral regions of Spain which, to this day, fiercely maintain their regional languages. Like Welsh, only more so. Thus the use of español alone would be insensitive to native speakers of the languages of Catalonia, Aragon, Basque country, Asturias, Galicia and probably more that don't come to mind.

After the infamous bombing of Guernica in 1936 by Hitler's Luftwaffe (and the later bombing of Barcelona in 1938) the war was increasingly conducted by the Maquís and the communists who cooperated heavily with the French Resistance in the war.

Does anyone know which region in Spain Liverpudians mostly fought in? I doubt they were all over Spain, if only due to the language difficulties. It might be good to invite people from the appropriate part of Spain to a formal unveiling of the plaque. I seem to recall that there is an organisation that holds an annual two-day hike in the Pyrenees mountains in honour of the Maquís.

It is, of course, to their great shame that the British governments of the day appeased Franco.

Although the BBC article doesn't mention it, I think the plaque was previously located in the former Merseyside Trade Union Community and Unemployed Resource Centre (MTUCURC) in Hardman Street and has been given a new home in Jack Jones House by Unite the union.

Probably not.

Apart from the plaque being too historic to change, Spanish is generally taken to mean español which was basically the language of the fascists.

Conversely the Republicans in the civil war were largely from the peripheral regions of Spain which, to this day, fiercely maintain their regional languages. Like Welsh, only more so. Thus the use of español alone would be insensitive to native speakers of the languages of Catalonia, Aragon, Basque country, Asturias, Galicia and probably more that don't come to mind.



Man, that´s just the most stupid thing i´ve heard in my whole live about the spanish civil war and Spain itself, and i´ve heard a lot of crap.

We Basques do appreciate very much the kindness of the people of Liverpool and the rest of Britain during the Spanish civil war. In 1937 hundreds of Basque children were evacuated from the port of Bilbao to avoid being killed in the constant bombardments of the city and were shipped to the UK, where they were very kindly received and taken care of. The Royal Navy escorted some of the cargo ships as they were menaced by the fascists` ships that tried to sink them. Basque families were petrified by the combined Luftwafe and Spanish fascist air bombardment that caused the complete devastation of the town of Gernika, attack which cost hundreds of lives, and still remains the symbol of the Basque nation.

We Basques do appreciate very much the kindness of the people of Liverpool and the rest of Britain during the Spanish civil war. In 1937 hundreds of Basque children were evacuated from the port of Bilbao to avoid being killed in the constant bombardments of the city and were shipped to the UK, where they were very kindly received and taken care of. The Royal Navy escorted some of the cargo ships as they were menaced by the fascists` ships that tried to sink them. Basque families were petrified by the combined Luftwafe and Spanish fascist air bombardment that caused the complete devastation of the town of Gernika, attack which cost hundreds of lives, and still remains the symbol of the Basque nation.

Correct. There is a wonderful book about the experience of Basque children who were evacuated called El otro árbol de Guernica, by the author Luis de Castresana. I think Liverpool does get a mention. Don't know if it has been translated into English. I met a bloke in Madrid years ago, who stayed with a family somewhere around Sefton Park. They had a few bob, and he always remembered having marmalade for breakfast.

^^

PS Thanks very much for Mikel Arteta too!!

Probably not.

Apart from the plaque being too historic to change, Spanish is generally taken to mean español which was basically the language of the fascists.

Conversely the Republicans in the civil war were largely from the peripheral regions of Spain which, to this day, fiercely maintain their regional languages. Like Welsh, only more so. Thus the use of español alone would be insensitive to native speakers of the languages of Catalonia, Aragon, Basque country, Asturias, Galicia and probably more that don't come to mind.

After the infamous bombing of Guernica in 1936 by Hitler's Luftwaffe (and the later bombing of Barcelona in 1938) the war was increasingly conducted by the Maquís and the communists who cooperated heavily with the French Resistance in the war.

Does anyone know which region in Spain Liverpudians mostly fought in? I doubt they were all over Spain, if only due to the language difficulties. It might be good to invite people from the appropriate part of Spain to a formal unveiling of the plaque. I seem to recall that there is an organisation that holds an annual two-day hike in the Pyrenees mountains in honour of the Maquís.

It is, of course, to their great shame that the British governments of the day appeased Franco.

The official language of Spain is Castillian. The fact is most of the fighting done by the International Brigade was done at the likes of Jarama and the battle of the Ebro. These battles were fought in the heart of Spain, and the language there is Spanish. To suggest that Spanish was the language of the Facists is just not the case. The capital of the Republic was in Madrid, which was the first major city in Europe to be bombed on a regular basis.

By the way, why hasn`t the twinning of Liverpool and Bilbao happened yet?

Maybe because, as far as I know, it's not being discussed at an official level in each city :dunno:

People may be interested in Ken Loach's tremendous film 'Land and Freedom' about a Liverpudlian (Ian Hart) who goes to fight the fascists in Spain.

And being a Ken Loach film, you can see the whole thing on Youtube.

(Though being Youtube, you may have to contend with other posters' comments, such as referring to the Republicans' internecine battles as a MEGA FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). :ohno:

WH9J48jlUE0&ob=av1n

one of the greatest movies about the Spanish civil war if not the best. A must see.

Maybe because, as far as I know, it's not being discussed at an official level in each city :dunno:

That could be the reason. As far as I know both cities share a history of seafaring and trading through their great atlantic ports. Liverpool, of course, is a world class city while Bilbao is a standard European regional hub, but never the less there has been an incesant traffic of people, ideas, merchandise and ships between them for centuries now.

We used to have beautiful double decked British made trolleybuses in Bilbao. The three sectors that pushed the development of Bilbao as an industrial and commercial city at the end of the 19th century, shipbuilding, iron mining and steel making, were all delivered by UK based financial corporations and companies. The British brought the railways. Even the local football team, Athletic Bilbao, was established on the river bank by UK seafarers, when they started to engage locals into the game.

Such was the sea traffic between the Basque Country and the UK that the area where the Guggenheim Museum is located is still commonly named by locals as the English Fields, because so many UK ships use to anchor there. When factory workers began to work 5 days per week, instead of Mon-Sat, it was called the English Week.

All this to say that there is a common past which must never be forgotten

some people even remember with a smile the deep sound of the engines of those big Leyland diesel trucks and buses that were so common at that time in the Basque Country

A few years back I visited the Bizkaia Technology Park, which is about 10km outside of Bilbao. It's pretty impressive and a genuine success story illustrating what can be achieved in terms of fostering a knowledge or technology focused economy.

I suspect there may be some relevant lessons for Liverpool in terms of the future development of the Knowledge Quarter and biocampus in particular etc.

http://www.parque-tecnologico.net/aPTBW/web/en/presentation/index.jsp

A few years back I visited the Bizkaia Technology Park, which is about 10km outside of Bilbao. It's pretty impressive and a genuine success story illustrating what can be achieved in terms of fostering a knowledge or technology focused economy.

I suspect there may be some relevant lessons for Liverpool in terms of the future development of the Knowledge Quarter and biocampus in particular etc.

http://www.parque-tecnologico.net/aPTBW/web/en/presentation/index.jsp

yeah, it is quite succesful, with over several thousand jobs created, although a great deal of the success is due to very heavy public investment. The Bizkaia Council, which collects the taxes of the 1.1 million inhabs of that Basque land, has spent hundreds of millions euros in that project. So the cost of each job is simply astronomical. But politicians like strolling along the leafy techopark with their guests. It is also very pictorial for the election time manifestos. You know, Ericsson settled there but left two years later or so, dumping 400 people on the dole. By the way, Rolls Royce is perhaps the largest employer. It has a quite well run subsidiary there, ITP, making parts for their aeroengines.

Liverpool is got a good uni and a remarkable one. The Bilbao area`s unis are an utter disgrace. That is why Liverpool`s science and tehno parks can be very successful indeed. You have world class academics, a world class city, your language is English, well scouser, but maybe need some more seed public money. If the new buildings surrounding the catholic cathedral are statement of the things to come, it does augur very well indeed!!

People may be interested in Ken Loach's tremendous film 'Land and Freedom' about a Liverpudlian (Ian Hart) who goes to fight the fascists in Spain.

And being a Ken Loach film, you can see the whole thing on Youtube.

(Though being Youtube, you may have to contend with other posters' comments, such as referring to the Republicans' internecine battles as a MEGA FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). :ohno:

WH9J48jlUE0&ob=av1n


Mr Hart may have to go back to Spain soon as that land is again bursting with very aggresive fascists

yeah, it is quite succesful, with over several thousand jobs created, although a great deal of the success is due to very heavy public investment. The Bizkaia Council, which collects the taxes of the 1.1 million inhabs of that Basque land, has spent hundreds of millions euros in that project. So the cost of each job is simply astronomical. But politicians like strolling along the leafy techopark with their guests. It is also very pictorial for the election time manifestos. You know, Ericsson settled there but left two years later or so, dumping 400 people on the dole. By the way, Rolls Royce is perhaps the largest employer. It has a quite well run subsidiary there, ITP, making parts for their aeroengines.

Liverpool is got a good uni and a remarkable one. The Bilbao area`s unis are an utter disgrace. That is why Liverpool`s science and tehno parks can be very successful indeed. You have world class academics, a world class city, your language is English, well scouser, but maybe need some more seed public money. If the new buildings surrounding the catholic cathedral are statement of the things to come, it does augur very well indeed!!

Unfortunately, Liverpool lacks its own regional government and tax raising ability. England is a very centralised country, with central government possessing a monopoly of serious powers. And as for how the government likes to organise this part of England? Why by placing Liverpool into an ahistoric region containing areas with which it has little cultural or economic connection, with nearly all of the state's secondary regional bodies, both government and quasi-autonomous based in a bitter rival, Manchester. With predictable results of course.

Liverpool university is decent atm but nothing special amongst UK universities to be honest. If you want to believe the various university rankings that are published from time to time, it currently sits amongst the weaker of the red bricks (c. 1900 foundation civic universities based in large provincial cities). I get the impression that it may have been more highly ranked in relative terms decades ago but and its comparative decline reflected that of the city's reputation. I think it does better in research terms than it does in attracting undergrad students with the highest entry grades. Along with its host city, however, the university may have seen some improvement recently. Of the other two universities, one is lowly ranked amongst UK universities on the whole (but with a few areas of good performance), the other abysmally. But both these institutions have received university status relatively recently. And there's also the excellent and unique asset of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, which complements the university's good reputation in medicine, dentistry and the biological sciences.

Interestingly, there was much controversy recently about the Liverpool university vice chancellor's plans to close under-performing departments at the uni. Currently, however, Liverpool U's overall reputation does not imo reflect its heritage, its excellent financial endowment (one of the best, something that tells a story itself), the potential of its central and architecturally attractive campus and those areas where the university does excel. Against the grain of opinion here (although I'm not sure if I got round to saying so), I thought that rationalisation of the university into a more prestigious institution concentrating resources on its impressive strengths and therefore climbing up the league tables and improving both its reputation and also that of its city wasn't such a bad idea. Some excellent universities for whatever reason can lack certain departments and courses that weaker universities possess.

I’d agree with much of that analysis. From reading the recent research ratings it would seem that Liverpool uni is being held back by a handful of dud departments. It will be interesting to see whether these poorly performing departments can up their game and propel the university away from the bottom of the Russell Group barrel! If I were in the market for a former poly, I would definitely consider JMU – it seems to have a number of good departments and its academics appear on the television/radio from time to time so I guess it’s doing something right. Hope doesn’t provide information for such rating exercises and sees itself as a different kind of university. Here’s its website for anyone who wants to check out what might be considered special pleading! http://www.hope.ac.uk/

I’m a bit concerned by Cambridge’s flirting with the notion of going private in order to keep up with the top Ivy League colleges. The wider reality is that we only have 5 truly excellent academic institutions in this country – only three of which offer the full range (Cambridge, Oxford and UCL) and two are highly specialist (Imperial & LSE).

If these went private what would happen to the rest of the Russell Group and those outside it? Perhaps any university that chooses to go private should reimburse the tax-payer for all the investment they have received over the years?

any chance we can move this thread. All interesting stuff like but its long been a completed building and the conversation has moved onto everything but the building

just a thought

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Source - www.denovodesign.ltd.uk

What's happened to Jack Jones House (or whatever it was called) on Sefton Street? Is that now Len Murray Lodge?