Liverpool Tourist...

As promised, and in order...

 

Cabin fever has ravaged all aboard...

New Year is fast approaching and I can't help but feel the urge to escape and travel somewhere completely random and unexplored (by me at least). I get itchy feet when I've been in the same place for a while and there is any opportunity to travel. Planning trips in 2011 to Europe and the USA is just one of the reason's I'm finding it particularly difficult to keep myself grounded.

An old friend called me up the other day suffering from the same cabin fever on dry land syndrome. He was in Bristol and wanted to escape, after suggesting we should hit up Amsterdam for a weekend (as amazing as it would have been) that idea was firmly shunted when I realised I'd left my passport back in Cheltenham, because I'm an idiot!

Living close to Liverpool has its advantages and its loud glaring disadvantages, but with some persuasion from said friend we've now opted for a fun filled tourist day around my home city. I decided this was a brilliant opportunity to compile a top ten things to do in the 2008 Capital of Culture... yes people it was three years ago and we're still clutching at it, but hey! John Lennon was killed 31 years ago.

Top 10 in Liverpool:

1. See jellyfish and tall ships in the Albert Dock
2. Find the hidden dock
3. Take a ferry across the Mersey to Birkenhead*
4. Salute the Liver Birds
5. Museums/Galleries - Walker Art, FACT, Tate, World, Maratime, Beatles... yada yada
6. Get lost in the unnecessarily complicated Liverpool One
7. Turn the Place Over - seriously check out the link.
8. Order a beer from the Cavern Club and say "cheers" to John Lennon
9. Try some funky flavours of Tequila at Bar Cava - whilst you're on Wood Street check out Concert Square
10. See Queen Victoria's penis**

* Don't stay too long it isn't pretty. Although you can see the Liverpool skyline (worth it).

**#8 and #9 make this more amusing.

So there we have it - a day (or two at a stretch) full of jaunty Northern fun. Stay tuned - pictures to follow in January. Peace out.

Network Fail...

Of all the places to be stuck, Birmingham New Street... not the bustling nerve centre of the universe but a black hole strategically placed inside a Bermuda triangle like phenomenon specifically designed for trains and the broken souls of passengers just hoping they may actually reach their destination.

Joe Bidden said, “It is absolutely bizarre that we continue to subsidise highways beyond the gasoline tax, airlines, and we don't subsidise, we don't want to subsidise, a national rail system that has environmental impact.” – This man talks sense.

On average for a round trip from Cheltenham to Liverpool it costs about £25 if booked in advance £35 if not. For this amount of money, you would at least expect a service that will take me from A to B without any major glitches. 

Here's the kicker, as of January 3 2011 not only does VAT increase to a whopping 20% but National Rail are upping their fees by around 9%. Now, 9% sounds like a lot. It gets worse. This is just a national average, so some mainline links are going to increase much more than 9% - 25% to be precise. So a train fair that initially cost £35 will now cost £43.75 before VAT.

AWESOME.

Dear Dave, 

As we're all in it together in your BIG SOCIETY, would you mind subbing me the extra £8.75 it will take me to get home to see my family? As I'm sure your £142,500 per year could more than cover a couple of trips.

Yours sincerely (may want to look up that word, it's in the dictionary just before spineless),

An epically poor student and unfortunate member of your tiny rich boy society.  

                              

"Beyond highways and roads, we need more money for mass transit, intercity passenger rail and freight rail. We have a long way to go to bridge the funding gaps." - Bill Lipinski

Unveiled: Boat Show interpretations

ORGANISERS have released exciting new images of the highly anticipated first Liverpool Boat Show in 2011.

The plans for a 10-day international festival were unveiled last year, now images have been released giving a flavour for the festival.

Marine Industry Events are organising the Liverpool Boat Show for next year and are enjoying the buzz surrounding the event from local businesses and the council alike.

They have described the venue as one of the most architecturally stunning waterfronts in the world.

James Gower, a spokesman for the company said: “There is a clash in the South with the London and Southampton festivals so we were looking for something different.”

Since Liverpool received the 2008 European Capital of Culture status, its reputation as blasted sky high.

Mr Gower said: “There was an overwhelming response and Liverpool was by far the most popular destination.”

Liverpool is a focal for boating in the North West and even hosted the internationally renowned Tall Ships Festival in 2008.

Dubbed the ‘City of Sail’, Liverpool is at the heart of the North West coastline, which has made it the prime location for visitors near and far.

Believed to be a primarily untapped area by the organisers, Marine Industry Events have extremely high hopes for the first year of the show.

They are predicting the show will draw around 100,000 paying visitors who will have access to the Main Marina, and a further 300,000 spectators elsewhere.

They will be able to enjoy a selection of sailing and watersports demonstrations in the Salthouse Dock during the week long show.

There will even be a selection of five VIP floating islands in various different docks.

Major sponsors named to back the event are Virgin Trains, Eastern Airways and Guinness in a hope to promote both national and international interest.

Virgin Trains and Eastern airways will be providing exclusive travel packages for the event.

Rob Mackenzie, managing director of Marine Industry Events, said: “The travel agreements mean exhibitors and visitors will be able to travel from the south coast and London conveniently and for very competitive rates”.

Organisers are hoping that the event will become an annual hit, and expected to spend more than £750,000 on marketing.

Believing that it will establish itself quickly, Liverpool council chief executive Colin Hilton said the 2011 festival would “generate a momentum we can continue into the next decade”.

For more information about the event and sponsors visit http://www.liverpoolboatshow.co.uk/

Liverpool band to record for Twilight Saga

MERSEYSIDE band are to record a song for hit vampire saga Twilight.
Electo-pop band Holice have been asked by Twilight music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas to write and record a track especially for Breaking Dawn, the fourth film in the series.
After hearing the last track on Holice’s debut album ‘10 Chakras’, Alexandra Pasavas, 42, from Chicago who has been responsible for both soundtracks in the Twilight Saga so far, got in touch with the Liverpool band and asked them to provide a demo track for the Breaking Dawn film.
They will follow in the footsteps of UK musicians such as Muse and Thom Yorke who have also recorded songs for the Twilight Saga.
Band members Stephen Davies, 39, from Widnes, Chris Oakly, 36, from Runcorn and Sarah Owen, 23 from West Derby, started recording as Holice in 2008.
Stephen said: “We sent the record off and within two weeks we’d heard back.
“The film has quite forward thinking directors who seem to be making a deliberate effort to help smaller unsigned bands”.
Stephen’s kitchen in Widnes doubles up as the inevitably named Kitchen Studio’s, where Holice recorded their demo track.
He said: “Although they liked the song they wanted us to write something specifically for the soundtrack ”.
Preparation is underway for songwriter Stephen, he said: “I’m frantically watching all the films and reading Breaking Dawn just to get a good feel for it”.
He has started writing the track, but told the Liverpool Echo that there is no name for it yet.
“We’re planning on making it quite slow and moody, I’ll be listening to the other soundtracks to try and pick up on the rough tone, but we don’t want to copy anybody else's style”.
The band are excited to get their teeth stuck into the challenge, they are aiming to have the track recorded and sent off by August.
The third film Twilight Eclipse is set to be a hit in cinema’s next month, but it will be 2011 before Holice make it onto the big screen.
Holice’s debut album 10 Chakras is available to download on iTunes.

Liverpool veteren is commended for WWII services

RUSSIAN Federation thanks local veteran for services in the Royal Navy during WWII.
Fred Williams, 98, from Birkenhead was awarded a medal from the Russian Embassy this month commemorating the 65th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.
Fred was unable to attend the ceremony in London, so one of his three sons Kenny Williams, 56, presented the medal to his dad yesterday.
Kenny said: “We’re glad he’s getting the recognition he deserves.”
Fred Williams spent time aboard HMS Marne during the battle of the Atlantic when British forces helped Russian’s courier supplies to troops.
It is clear Fred still has a sense of humour, he said: “I feel quite good about getting the medal, £100 would’ve been nicer.”

Rebekah's Fund

TEENAGE girl is pulling out all the punches for the opportunity of a lifetime.
Sixteen-year-old Rebekah Mather from Widnes has been offered a place to train at the prestigious Laine Theatre College in London but is struggling to find money for tuition fees.
After being offered a scholarship to train full time at The Hammond School in Chester, Rebekah auditioned for just one of 70 places available at Laine Theatre College.
Although she beat thousands for a place, she did not receive the funding she needed to go.
With tuition for the three years costing £65,000 Rebekah’s Fund was set up by her mother Jane Arkell, 35, in a bid to raise the cash.
Mrs Arkell said: “She’s been dancing since she was a little tot and she’s always loved it.
“We’re doing all we can.”
Rebekah’s step-father, Graeme Arkell, 28, is taking on the three peak challenge in just 24 hours in hope to raise more cash.
She has performed at the Empire Theatre numerous times and even trained with the Royal Ballet School but dreams of performing on the West End.
Rebekah said: “I was really devastated when I found out I wouldn’t get a grant.”
If she is lucky enough to raise more than the astounding £65,000 she needs to attend, the rest will be donated to the BBC Arts Fund to help other young people who are in similar situations.
Rebekah said: “It would be really good to carry Rebekah’s fund on for teenagers who are in the same position.”
To donate or find out more about Rebekah’s story visit http://www.rebekahsfund.co.uk/.

This story appeared in the Livepool Daily Post on 23/06/2010.