Official Liverpool Thread

[Portobello Red]

Clone-town Britain faces a rebellion on the high street

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/thi...cle3038396.ece
By Emily Dugan
Published: 08 October 2007

Towns sporting rows of identical houses and predictable shops have become the norm across Britain, but their days may be numbered. Independent retailers and creative new buildings are starting to break up the monotony.

The British high street is breaking free from the tyranny of the chain store and using home-grown businesses to attract visitors, says the Work Foundation think-tank. Its investigation into the identities of the nation's towns and cities found a growing backlash against uniform housing estates and unimaginative architecture. From Cambridge to Cardiff, towns and cities are keen to assert their regional identities, says the paper, "Distinctiveness and Cities – Beyond 'Find and Replace' Economic Development". It pointed to the success of Manchester's gay-friendly Canal Street and Edinburgh's flourishing financial centre as examples where inspiration has been drawn from local characteristics.

Neil Lee, a researcher at the foundation and author of the report, said that financial constraints have been partly responsible for homogenisation. "Place-making relies on using points of difference to competitive advantage, but until recently, cities have not always had the time or money". The vogue for asserting local identity is partly due to the devolution of power to local councils, he said. "People are beginning to realise that local identity matters."

But the economic success of towns that have embraced their idiosyncrasies has encouraged others to follow suit. Instead of inspiring innovation, it has led to "too many copy-cat developments", the report said. The challenge is for towns not to imitate but to innovate themselves in a unique way, using their own distinctive qualities.

It takes the Angel of the North, as an example. Anthony Gormley's giant statue at Gateshead made public art into a must-have feature for planners around the country.

"But the most economically and socially successful cities artfully use their distinctiveness to craft a compelling offer to people and companies," the report says. "Distinctiveness becomes a conscious, explicit strategy of redevelopment."

Developments that harness a unique aspect of a city's culture, such as Hay-on-Wye's literary festival, or a particular venue, such as Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, are the most effective. "Distinctiveness works best when the unique history of a location is used to build a compelling proposition," Mr Lee said. Design is also central to highlighting what is unique about an area, the report says.

And cities can reap vast economic benefits by making daring commissions. Frank Gehry's shimmering Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is an example. "When the Guggenheim Bilbao was built it was a Trojan horse for other things," said Mr Lee.

"Bilbao got a new metro, a new airport and suddenly there was this entrepreneurial spirit in the city. By using what made them distinctive and building on their own identity, they have thrived."

Thriving cities often have a specialist sector, according to the paper. A town or city can assert its distinctiveness by harnessing an economic specialism, for example the hi-tech industry in Cambridge, or financial services in Edinburgh.

[Scarecrow]

Anybody see the front page of the Echo today? Fat stupid kid in pyjamas gets stuck in drain. Apparently she was trying to stop her two year old brother falling in, but somehow ended up stuck herself. How is completely beyond me.

Her mother sounds like she's a different species too. Whinging to the Echo that if it was her two year old that had fallen down there, 'they wouldn't have known about it for ages' lad. I'm sorry, but this cretin should have her children put into care. What was a two year old child doing out in the street without adult supervision, which would've been 'for ages', with a ten year old sister that can't dress herself, or has the co-ordination to not fall into a fucking big hole in the ground?

Freaks.

[Paul D]

I did I thought it was hilarious.

[Joe the red]

Calling your kid chanell should be enough to have your kid taken into care

My mate fell down a manhole in Middlesbrough once walking away from the Riverside

[JUXTAPOL]

What surprises me about the story is the comment that someone knew about the drain being open, so they covered it with a piece of cardboard, which as we all know is the most solid and waterproof material in the world, with which to secure a manhole. I smell a compensation scam...!

[Paul D]

If they'd have used some lard off the kids arse she'd have popped out no problem.

[HollyBlack]

Originally Posted by Portobello Red

Clone-town Britain faces a rebellion on the high street ... Thriving cities often have a specialist sector, according to the paper. A town or city can assert its distinctiveness by harnessing an economic specialism, for example the hi-tech industry in Cambridge, or financial services in Edinburgh.

San Franciso (and other smaller places) have designated blocks (streets) where franchises and "formula" stores are not permitted.

It seems to work well for them - to allow chain stores, such as Starbucks and the like on some streets but not on others.
See http://www.newrules.org/retail/sanfran.html

[LABlue]

Originally Posted by Joe the red

Calling your kid chanell should be enough to have your kid taken into care

My mate fell down a manhole in Middlesbrough once walking away from the Riverside

Isn't Channelle french for gutter???

I showed this story to my missus and she fell around laughing as a similar thing happened to her when the club man fell down the coal hole in Claudia St Walton. The grate had been removed and covered by a rug by her twin sister. Their name is Edwards is well - must be a family thing.

[Scarecrow]

http://www.efchistory.co.uk/

Great site, with some brilliant piccies.

[Scarecrow]

The old Bullens Road stand. I'm wracking my head, trying to remember where i've seen another Beaty Bros. sign.

[Scarecrow]

Found it!

It's in a book, Images of England: Central Liverpool. Don't recognise the street. Possibly Clayton Square. There's a Kardomah Cafe there too.

[Scarecrow]

Cheers Accy yeh meff!

[guenuk]

The Echo doesn't half give ammunition to people who hate the city this is the type of story that should be put in some kind of 'funny section' on the inside pages not the bloody front page! remember that mouring of thedead chicken story ,did the echo put that on the front page I can't remember but they probably did though.

[Awayo]

The Echo won a UK press award for that story. The London judges must have loved it - "Ha! Look, even their own press thinks that scousers are all victim-status obsessed, mawkish blubberers. Well done! Give 'em an award!"

[Blabber II]

The Echo isn't a local newspaper, not the way the MEN is. The Echo is just full of talk show style grief and cringe worthiness. Fucking awful.

[cambrian]

Originally Posted by Bunnyman

looks like she is just about to be run over by a scooter

I laughed all the way back from the newsagents.
just as well she wasnt stuck there for days or we would have had TV reporters giving us on the spot updates on the hour every hour.

[Toadboy]

Looks like an Umpa Lumpa.

[Paul D]

Lennon’s beacon of light
Oct 9 2007 by Laura Jones, Liverpool Echo

YOKO Ono will today urge fans to “come together” as she unveils the Imagine Peace Tower in Reykjavik, Iceland on what would have been his 67th birthday.

John Lennon’s widow hopes that the tower, dedicated to the memory of the music legend, will shine as a beacon of hope for world peace.

The anti-war campaigner will be commemorated each year between October 9 and December 8 – the date he was shot and killed in New York in 1981.

The words Imagine Peace have been etched in 24 different languages on an internal well wall with the lyrics of Imagine due to be engraved on the structure next year.

Its construction was a collaboration between Yoko Ono, the City of Reykjavik, Reykjavik art museum and Reykjavik Energy.

Yoko has continued to collect wishes through her interactive “wish tree” exhibits since she started in 1981.

Time capsules containing 495,000 peace messages will be buried around the tower and topped with trees.

Ono said: “This is the biggest birthday present I gave to John. He’s very, very happy about it, I know.”

Lennon’s Memorial Wishing Well contains nine searchlights powered by geothermal energy, in remembrance of the legend’s lucky number.

Ono added: “I hope Imagine Peace Tower will give light to the strong wishes of world peace from all corners of the planet and give encouragement, inspiration and a sense of solidarity in a world filled with fear and confusion.’

The stunning sky-high beam will radiate from Yoko’s art installation each year in the hope to spread the late Beatles’ message: “If you can imagine a world of peace. If you can imagine the possibility, then it can be true.”

Peace messages can be submitted by mail to Imagine Peace Tower, PO Box 1009, 121 Reykjavik, Iceland or through the Imagine Peace Web site, www.imaginepeace.com

[Paul D]

Another landmark to The Beatles around the World.

[Portobello Red]

Originally Posted by HollyBlack

San Franciso (and other smaller places) have designated blocks (streets) where franchises and "formula" stores are not permitted.

It seems to work well for them - to allow chain stores, such as Starbucks and the like on some streets but not on others.
See http://www.newrules.org/retail/sanfran.html

Some interesting points there Holly:

SEC. 703.3. FORMULA RETAIL USES.

(a) Findings.

(1) San Francisco is a city of diverse and distinct neighborhoods identified in large part by the character of their commercial areas.

(2) San Francisco needs to protect its vibrant small business sector and create a supportive environment for new small business innovations. One of the eight Priority Policies of the City's General Plan resolves that "existing neighborhood-serving retail uses be preserved and enhanced and future opportunities for resident employment in and ownership of such businesses enhanced."

(3) Retail uses are the land uses most critical to the success of the City's commercial districts.

(4) Formula retail businesses are increasing in number in San Francisco, as they are in cities and towns across the country.

(5) Money earned by independent businesses is more likely to circulate within the local neighborhood and City economy than the money earned by formula retail businesses which often have corporate offices and vendors located outside of San Francisco.

(6) Formula retail businesses can have a competitive advantage over independent operators because they are typically better capitalized and can absorb larger startup costs, pay more for lease space, and commit to longer lease contracts. This can put pressure on existing businesses and potentially price out new startup independent businesses

(7) San Francisco is one of a very few major urban centers in the State in which housing, shops, work places, schools, parks and civic facilities intimately co-exist to create strong identifiable neighborhoods. The neighborhood streets invite walking and bicycling and the City's mix of architecture contributes to a strong sense of neighborhood community within the larger City community.

(8) Notwithstanding the marketability of a retailer's goods or services or the visual attractiveness of the storefront, the standardized architecture, color schemes, decor and signage of many formula retail businesses can detract from the distinctive character of certain Neighborhood Commercial Districts.

(9) The increase of formula retail businesses in the City's neighborhood commercial areas, if not monitored and regulated, will hamper the City's goal of a diverse retail base with distinct neighborhood retailing personalities comprised of a mix of businesses. Specifically, the unregulated and unmonitored establishment of additional formula retail uses may unduly limit or eliminate business establishment opportunities for smaller or medium-sized businesses, many of which tend to be non-traditional or unique, and unduly skew the mix of businesses towards national retailers in lieu of local or regional retailers, thereby decreasing the diversity of merchandise available to residents and visitors and the diversity of purveyors of merchandise.

(10) If, in the future, neighborhoods determine that the needs of their Neighborhood Commercial Districts are better served by eliminating the notice requirements for proposed formula retail uses, by converting formula retail uses into conditional uses in their district, or by prohibiting formula retail uses in their district, they can propose legislation to do so.