24 C O N T E X T 1 0 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7 When tested against the HLF’s citizen’s juries, the public were supportive of this analysis, which accorded with what they wanted from the HLF and heritage projects. Clark was keen to impress on everyone that, whatever the current difficulties with funding and the Olympics, the HLF was ‘still in business’ and had a big, simple story to tell. Although the climate was tougher and identifying benefits and project evaluation were more important than ever, £180 million was still available for heritage projects, large and small. Finally, and returning to the title of her talk, Clark revealed what she would say to Gordon Brown if presented with his undivided attention for three minutes in a lift. Gordon Brown is a numbers man, we were reminded, so she would give him the figures. Yes, he could invest £80,000 in creating a mindnumbingly c*@p (my notes are unclear here) job, which might then be outsourced abroad. Alternatively, he could spend our money on creating high-quality, life-enhancing heritage jobs here at home, which might cost more (er… much more – around £250,000 each) but would bring countless cultural and other benefits. This seems a laudable endeavour. Good luck there Kate! Questions followed during which it was revealed that the HLF would soon be issuing a new and simpler (thank goodness) application pack for large schemes. Mike Brown Cultural heritage in the regeneration of Liverpool heritage sector as ‘bullies’, you know that realities and perceptions are changing. The fact that Liverpool won the title of Capital of Culture 2008 over widely-fancied Newcastle and 13 other cities was a pleasant surprise. It was sealed by the light plane and flying poster hired by Newcastle being diverted from the Tyne over to the Mersey to advertise the stunning win. The key priorities for a capital of culture are not only to present an international programme but also to engage local communities in arts, culture and heritage for the benefit of the inhabitants. Among many projects, the HLF is funding A Portrait of a Nation in which young people look at their core identity in cities around the country for an exhibition in Liverpool. This year’s 800th anniversary of the signing of the Letters Patent is a cause of celebration, exploring the rich, diverse and varied history and culture of Liverpool. It is also a time to reflect particularly on the city as the heart of the slave trade in the 18th and 19th centuries. The world heritage site and buffer zone is central to the Maritime City heritage. The commercial area, the Pier Head, Stanley Dock, Albert Dock, Bluecoat Chambers, St George’s Hall and the two cathedrals (‘one to spare’, as the song says) contribute to the physical heritage. No less important is the legacy of the Beatles, who developed in the youth culture of the 60s as part of the Mersey sound. This was stimulated by the Cunard Yanks – Liverpool lads in the employ of the shipping lines, who brought music, records and electric guitars from NewYork clubs to Liverpool caverns. Liverpool is a polyglot society, with the oldest Chinese community and the first mosque in Britain. The city is undergoing a great renaissance in one of the largest rebuilding schemes in Europe, employing 14,000 in £3 billion worth of schemes. The Big Dig, the cruise liner terminal, the new Museum of Liverpool, the Lime Street concourse gateway and the canal extension from Stanley Dock to the Pier Head are but part of this investment. East Paradise is one of the largest shopping and commercial schemes in Europe. It comprises hotels, restaurants and leisure, two department stores (John Lewis and Debenhams), a bus station and multistorey car parks on the edge. The investment is £815 million over 17 hectares. It has been an opportunity to excavate the Old Dock, which was the earliest enclosed wet dock for commercial purposes, required because of the high tidal range of the Mersey. At the core of the world heritage site, the Pier Head and Mann Island have been mired in controversy. The Cloud by Will Alsop won a competition, but was abandoned in 2004 and a new design for the Museum of Liverpool was substituted. In 2006 Neptune Developments produced a complementary scheme of apartments, offices and leisure behind the museum site. The world heritage committee and ICOMOS were attracted to Liverpool to consider the proposals, following objections sent directly to them by the Liverpool Preservation Society, Liverpool Heritage IHBC Annual School 2007 IHBC Annual School 2007 IHBC Annual School 2007 Graham Boxer, director of heritage development, Liverpool Culture Company Graham Boxer works for the Liverpool Culture Company, dealing with a wide range of cultural issues in tandem with Liverpool City Council. Some of the work is at the cutting edge, such as heritage open days (HODs) that will take place over the month of September in Merseyside. St George’s Hall, one of the heritage open days buildings, was voted by the council to be demolished at one stage in the past, but has had £23 million spent on its repair and restoration, with the assistance of £15 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Heritage is becoming significant in Liverpool.When such organisations as Downtown Liverpool refer to the
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