Will the city of Liverpool recover, and then return to being one of the greatest cities in the world?

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Corneilius

Thomas the Titanic was built in Belfast and sailed from Southampton so you cannot blame that on us.

How do you mean return? Liverpool is one of the great cities of the world, its skyline is as instantly recognisable as the Bund in Shanghai, Manhattan in New York or Rio. Any other British city would kill for that kind of emblem.

Like any other city Liverpool has had its knocks, the decline of the docks was a massive blow, but despite what someone else said the docks has more tonnage passing through it now than it did at its supposed peak. The difference is that what took tens of thousands of dockers to deal with, now takes little over 600 because of containerisation.

Liverpool this year has been packed with tourists from all over the world sampling the delights of our city and the overwhelming response has been positive. We will never have the industry which drove the city in the past, but I am confident that Liverpool will continue to be recognised the world over for its wonderful architecture, arts and above all its people.

Oh and how dare someone slag off our Lambananas, I never went past one without seeing a parent with a kid on its back or someone taking a photo, They are off the streets and were auctioned off for the Lord Mayors charity making a massive amount. I loved them and think they were one of the highlights of Capital of Culture

johnny c

It won't. Once it was one of the greatest countries in the world because it was the main port when England had an empire, and a lot of the world's trade went through it.

Now the docks are just container bases, it has little industry, no service centres, precious few jobs. Capital of Culture raised it's profile a bit, but it won't be enough to save it.

It's crazy, because that waterfront with it's views of the Welsh Hills and the sea is world-class. If they turned the docks into good housing it would be amazing. But without some other reason for people to go there, jobs for example, that won't happen.

You will still get some of the culture making world headlines, because it's quite insular, the scouse identity remains intact, it hasn't had much of the cultural dilution that many UK cities have had.

It's not all a dump, there are some really nice places like the area around Lark Lane, but sadly a huge proportion is soulless low-quaility 30s-60s housing estates.

And as for the lamb banana, if you don't get the anarchistic, ridiculous but warm humour of it then you'll never get Liverpool, you just can't understand what the city is about if you don't get the humour. I think they were a stroke of genius.

Scouse

Much as I love Liverpool and diepair of the stupidity of some who critise it I do not think it will return to it's true greatness which was fuelled by a poverrty traces of which you can see to this day.
It had the first Public Libraries and Public Baths (not swimming baths) although I stand to correcton in the case of swimming pools. it may interst them to know that it handles more cargo now than it did during WW ll that is over 30,000,000 tonnes a year (30 million). It would help Liverpool and other ports and shipbuilding areas if the Government did more to protect and encourage the Red Ensign which ultimately the future of this land of ours depends

maranta

The paradox is that when Liverpool was the 2nd city of Empire in Victorian times, typhus, smallpox, TB, were endemic, Child mortality was horrific, court housing was a scandal and most of the population lived in poverty ruled over by an aristocratic elite. So anyone from that era suddenly transported into todays Liverpool would think they had died and gone to heaven.
Another paradox is that the architectural heart and soul of the city are the Victorian sandstone buildings again built in an era of massive poverty.
What makes a city great ? its architecture and history and culture ---we are getting there but slowly.

James M

Liverpool has suffered from years of under-investment. It deserves better. Even now, there is a major development on the waterfront, but the outlying parts of the city are often run down. I am a Londoner, but I love Liverpool dearly. There is so much to see and do there, and the people are my favourite in the whole world. They go out of their way to help and they have a great sense of humour and friendly nature. I'm going there again next week and can't wait.

King Dedede

It probably will go the way of Sheffield city centre, but not as bad. Sheffield is a right dump now. It used to be a prosperous city because of the steel trade, but now because of all the businesses that have gone it's a sh8thole. Also Meadowhall keeps people away from the city centre because businesses all flock there.

Oh and Liverpool. I don't think Liverpool is that bad. It's a nice city. It has it's rough areas just like any city in Britain.

It's a city that is more down to earth and has more of a soul than Manchester. Also If you think Liverpool is bad go to Hull on the other side!

kandinskys

It IS recovering. Just look at how far it's come since the mid-90s.

Lots of money has poured in, new builds all over the place. I drive in through the Dock Road, past the Graces and come out on Park Road. I usually park on Pilgrim Street. That drive used to feature closed down pubs and buildings, houses with boarded up windows and burnt roofs. It's nothing like that now. I was going up Park Road towards Aigburth on Thursday. It's changed for the better in ten years and dramatically in the past two years. The atmosphere in South L8 seems brighter, maybe it's just me? When I lived there, it was bleak.

If Liverpool doesn't return to being one of the greatest cities in the world, it's nothing to do with Liverpool. London is the capital and gets all the money and political attention from overseas. Manchester is in the same boat as Liverpool.

Matthew Street Festival draws 300, 000 every year. You can't move (or park!) down the Albert Dock for tourists. Around the world, millions have heard of Liverpool. Can that be said of our other cities?

Liverpool will, hopefully remain a great city of the world but I don't see there being ANY cities becoming greatest anymore.

jduck1979_2005

Wait and see......... may take at least 10 - 20yrs.... but it's possible, but I'm not sure it is right now as I've heard they have a completely useless LibDem controlled council (which replaced a plain useless Labour run one)....... and also probably not until they've got rid of people resposnsible for stuff like this from the streets in certain areas of the city (and dealt with them properly... not some soft New Labour style non-punishment in cushy jails): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7765019.stm + http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7684835.stm + http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article3558878.ece

It just needs somebody with a mentality like Jeremy Clarkson or Boris Johnson who's willing to just get on with making things happen... instead of messing on with wasting money on silly modern art, etc isn't afraid to tell people to quit screwing around and bloody get on with it.

Ian I

No.Liverpool owed its importance and wealth to it being a major port.The docks employed thousands of peope but due to containeristion,the old docks could not handle the large container ships and many old docks now stand idle.The rise of major container ports like Southanpton has taken much of the trade away.Although Liverpool has a small container dock,it does not employ many people today and unemploymwnt is very high.Replacemet industries and employers have not come in,and prefer large greenfield sites out of towns.
The city today is still famous for the Beatles,and football,but these do not encourage employers to come in,which is what Liverpool must attract.Last time we went,we saw many areas with boarded up houses and it looked a very run down city.We also saw the market in the old bonded warehouse,but saw many other warehouses derelict,as were the former small docks nearby

Winnie

I agree about the Lamb-bananas - I think that they are ridiculous and do not understand their significance.
Yes, Liverpool will become great again.
As you say, the Beatles came from there and many of our great comedians and film stars. Everyone abroad is aware of Liverpool Football.
The buildings are awesome and we have the Empire Theatre, the Philharmonic and may other cultural venues.
It is definitely moving with the times and towards greatness.

Jester

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH...

No.

Nick J

I'd start with a campaign to get rid of those weird Lamb-banana statues they've put everywhere.
I visited recently and had to have it explained to me several times what they were and why they were there.

I still didn't get it.

Apart from that it was a pretty awesome place!

Otter

Nope. Sorry

aarrrh jim lad

I hope so, I've only been there once and it looked a right old dump and I didn't feel very safe.
I don't think it will ever recover as the rest of the country perceives it as a Sh@t hole

Calm down, calm down our Barry

Emma

na it will stay a dump now, full of big mouthed slappers

Obzi

I'm not sure the Titanic is a good example of how great Liverpool was, a fatally flawed build and design that led to the death of hundreds.

I'm sure your very proud of your home city but really, if you asked the population of the world or even this country to list the world greatest cities of the entire world i doubt Liverpool would have EVER been in the top 100.

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