Today's announcement that the Mathew Street Festival has been cancelled on safety grounds is an unmitigated disaster for Liverpool's credibility.
You can't take chances with public safety, and it would have been madness to fly in the face of the consultants' advice and go ahead with the event at this point. What is unforgivable in my view is that things were allowed to reach the point where this decision had to be taken.
The Mathew Street Festival is a hugely successful element of the city's annual calendar, and should have been bigger and better than ever this year as the lead up to Liverpool's 800th birthday on Tuesday, August 28 - the day after the end of the festival itself.
How could those planning this event not have allowed for the work going on at the Pier Head? We have known since 2003 that next year was to be European Capital of Culture year, and that 2007, as our birthday year, would take on an enhanced significance as a "dress rehearsal" for the main event.
It was vital, we stressed back then, and everyone agreed, that the city must not be a building site in 2008. Now it appears that all the development work which it is now clear will still be going on next year is to blame for a major public event not taking place. What confidence does that give to anyone making their plans to come to Liverpool for major public events in 2008?
The regeneration of the city is hugely welcome, of course, but the lack of co-ordination between those sanctioning major building projects and those involved in running public events has been brutally exposed by this fiasco.
Those responsible should be called to account. Liverpool is still capable of delivering a wonderful Capital of Culture year, but this shambles is in danger of turning us into a laughing stock before it has even started.
I would love to hear your opinions on the subject.
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David I wrote...
There should be resignations immediately. First to go should be Jason Harborow and Colin Hilton as the officials jointly responsible and Warren Bradley and Mike Storey as the two politicians with overall responsibility. They all conspired to allow the situation to reach this crisis point. They should have forecast this months ago and had a contingency plan in place. They are utter incompetents - the words booze up and brewery spring instantly to mind. How much are Harborow and Hilton being paid for cocking things up like this? It's set back the city's credibility for years - we are a music hall joke thanks to these cowboys.
Posted by: David I | August 2, 2007 3:18 PM