I don't like living in England....

[PH]

"World Heritage Committee deletes Liverpool - Maritime Mercantile City from UNESCO’s World Heritage List"
https://en.unesco.org/news/world-herita ... itage-list

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... age-status

Jonathan

Not sure why this belongs in this thread? You don't like living in England because Liverpool has lost it's UNESCO status? Did you think that was indicative of something?
I like Liverpool and the waterfront, I don't go often enough, though I have a visit planned for next month. The docks area always seems to be thriving, popular with visitors and locals, I don't suppose many of them give a hoot what UNESCO thinks, it seems so false anyway. The area has historical importance, though a lot of it isn't to be celebrated, it doesn't need some committee to endorse that.

[Cowsham]

Best thing about Liverpool is the Mersey tunnel to Birkenhead.

I like Liverpool was in it a couple of weeks ago but the best thing about Birkenhead is the Tranmere Rovers Football Club song.

Don’t be mistaken,
Don’t be misled,
We are not the (profanity) Scousers ,
We’re from Birkenhead,
You can (profanity) your cathedral,
And your pier head,
Cos we are not the (profanity) Scousers,
We're from Birkenhead…

[merseymouth]

Thank you PH, Very true.
There is a small pocketbook available that is worth looking at -"Liverpool City Centre, A History Tour. All within a reasonable walk.
Slightly longer walk will take one to reach St Georges Church on Everton Brow? That church is the historic prototype the enabled the Yanks to have all of their iconic sky scrapers! None of those tall buildings would have been viable without the architectural first in the construction of that church. Stuff the box tickers in their sinecure posts in UNESCO! MM
* Oh dear Cowsham! B/Head, the "One "I'd" Town"? Their town park is worth a visit, if only to get a condensed tour of New York's Central Park.
But try singing "I wish I was back in Liverpool"? As for Tranmere Rovers? Repeat failures . MM

[Oldjohnw]

Who cares about UNESCO?

It seems that the people of Liverpool might.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... y-21105577

[Cowsham]

Anyone ever cycled through the kingsway or queensway tunnels ?

[Ben@Forest]

Who cares about UNESCO?

It seems that the people of Liverpool might.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... y-21105577

It seems though that Liverpool had ample warning about what developments might affect the designation though - so authorities knew what they were doing.

[Oldjohnw]

Who cares about UNESCO?

It seems that the people of Liverpool might.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... y-21105577

It seems though that Liverpool had ample warning about what developments might affect the designation though - so authorities knew what they were doing.

Quite. But then, the previous regime there appears to have had an agenda which didn’t include looking after the City of Liverpool and its citizens.

I must say, I have never had occasion to visit, so I am unable to comment on the merits or otherwise of this city.

[Mike Sales]

For a few weeks I commuted from Bebington to Liverpool.
The two ferry trips were the highlights of my day.
Just being afloat is a treat for me, and the varying ways of the ferry stemming the varying tides were interesting.
So too were the views, up and down the Pool, and the boats and ships moving around.
Coming into the Pierhead and that magnificent waterfront made me fully aware and awake.
I would always glance up at the Liver Birds
Now I have been into Liverpool in my own boat, past that waterfront with its visiting ships, and up to Runcorn or Rock Ferry.
It is a magnificent and historic port.

[Tangled Metal]

^^
Quote was directed at ben@forest.

I know but I can still be happy with my dad getting his bit of the EU pot through road building in the republic and his salary just before retirement. The republic was one of his better options after going back to work after a spell of illness. It's a foreign country but less so than Africa or Eastern Europe. Even better than southern England maintenance supervision job. Plenty of time out in the countryside supervising laying out of roads. Good for a keen walker to be out like that.

[merseymouth]

Hi Cowsham, Been there, done it, got the T-Shirt and the medal!
Ridden through the Queensway Tunnel umpteen times, still legal to do so at specified dates and times. Used to go through for the Sunday club run. Even had a clubmate who had a puncture sit and swap the flat? Tunnel Police swooped and scooped him up!
Run through it as well on a few events, got those medals as well. Ridden and run through the Kingsway Tunnel as well, but that is only possible in specific events, not lawful normally to cycle or run through otherwise.
The Queensway was an easier ride to my mind, the slog uphill to get out of Kingsway took my knees off!
With Queensway they even had working traffic lights for a right turn to the Birkenhead Docks exit, when going from Liverpool! Scary thought with modern drivers.
My late mother walked through on the day King George V opened it in 1934.
Still Toll Free for Cyclists and Motor-cyclists .Blood expensive otherwise.
As an aside there are still some Toll Bridges in the area other than the big stuff at Widnes/Runcorn, Warburton beyond Warrington is one I used to go over quite often. Takes one back to the Turnpike days? TTFN MM
P.S. hi Mike scales, Get your ears blasted off these day by Gerry Marsden singing "Ferry Cross the Mersey"! Be more appropriate to play Billy Fury singing "Half Way to Paradise", he Billy, real name Ronald Wycherley, worked as a deck-hand on the ferries.

[PH]

Who cares about UNESCO?

It seems that the people of Liverpool might.

The people?
It seems much of this thread is about those in authority not speaking for the people!

Of course the City Mayor is going to be disappointed about the loss of a status that will attract visitors, yet they seem to have been doing OK before it was granted in 2004. This is why I find it such a nonsense, was it of less importance in 2003? Or any other time over the last centaury or two?

[PH]

There is a small pocketbook available that is worth looking at -"Liverpool City Centre, A History Tour. All within a reasonable walk.

Thanks, I'll look out for it.
Getting OT - but if anyone want to go and see for themselves, there's often some cracking deals to be had in a choice of Premier Inns right in the centre of the city. Other cheap hotel chains may exist.

[Oldjohnw]

Who cares about UNESCO?

It seems that the people of Liverpool might.

The people?
It seems much of this thread is about those in authority not speaking for the people!

Of course the City Mayor is going to be disappointed about the loss of a status that will attract visitors, yet they seem to have been doing OK before it was granted in 2004. This is why I find it such a nonsense, was it of less importance in 2003? Or any other time over the last centaury or two?

Given that the mayor was very recently elected by a majority it isn’t unreasonable to think that the first citizen speaks for ‘the people’.

My understanding regarding another world heritage site closer to my home, Hadrian’s Wall, is that UNESCO registration has brought significant benefits. But I really know little of the system.

[Psamathe]

Who cares about UNESCO?

It seems that the people of Liverpool might.

The people?
It seems much of this thread is about those in authority not speaking for the people!

Of course the City Mayor is going to be disappointed about the loss of a status that will attract visitors, yet they seem to have been doing OK before it was granted in 2004. This is why I find it such a nonsense, was it of less importance in 2003? Or any other time over the last centaury or two?

For me the significance is the message. Pre being granted the status it was neither a positive nor negative as there was no status. But having it removed sends a message that it is no longer has the worth it previously held - it's been "damaged. And it's rare for such removal/loss (I can only thik of 2 others).

I agree about "authority not speaking for the people". Our planning system has become "broken" - often not because of policies or procedures but that planners have learnt they can ignore consultations other than those legally required input (e.g. Highways) so local community, Parish Council, etc. are just ignored. I'm midway through objecting to a "change of use" which means minibussing people to their day site every working day for 1h20 (part on single track lanes). My paragraph about Climate Change impacts, commitment to no solar panels by applicant, availability of many local alternative propertied local to day site, air quality, etc. - all reduced to one word "unsustainable" for the Committee (with no clarification because the planner wants it approved).

And Conservative Planning system changes will make it all even worse (but they may get distracted by major NHS restructure mid-pandemic!)

Ian

[PH]

. But having it removed sends a message that it is no longer has the worth it previously held - it's been "damaged. And it's rare for such removal/loss (I can only thik of 2 others).
Ian

I don't disagree with much of your post, I'm very much opposed to the relaxing of planning regulation and very much for a more managed built environment.
But the loss here is Liverpool's heritage status, that isn't necessarily an overall loss. I wouldn't know, I'll leave it for those most effected to determine. The big development that tipped the balance, which seems to have always been delicate, is the football stadium. That gain may well turn out to be greater than the loss, but as I said it isn't for me to judge. I can think of several cities, Barcelona spring to mind, where the stadium is very much an architectural and cultural asset.
I'm still unsure why this subject belongs in this thread.