Via Liverpool.gov.uk...

Parking present for christmas shoppers

CHRISTMAS shoppers in Liverpool are being offered free and cut-price parking during this year's festive season.

They will be able to park free at Mount Pleasant multi-storey car park during late -night shopping and for £1 in Christmas week.

Free parking between 5 and 10pm starts on Thursday 16 November and will continue every Thursday until 21 December.

And between 17 and 24 December the cost will be reduced to £1 per stay between 10am and 6pm.

Cllr Mike Storey, Executive Member for Special Initiatives, said: "We have a great programme of activities in the city centre for Christmas, from the Big Wheel to horse drawn Santa carriages and a German market. Liverpool really is the place to be this Christmas and we are determined to attract more shoppers here.

"Free use of Mount Pleasant car park on late night shopping nights gives motorists a Christmas present which I am sure will be gratefully received."

Posted by Ian Jackson at November 20, 2006 07:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Liverpool City Council have just launched their new website. Looks a lot nicer than the old one and has good new features like RSS feeds for the news items and of course the obligatory link to the artinliverpool blog.

It has...
Cleaner look and feel.

Better access to online services via 'do it online' section.

Accessibility tool bar.

3rd column. Some pages now have a 3rd column containing links to the most important content.

Plain English. We've been awarded the Internet crystal mark for writing in plain English.

Provide local information and maps. Our neighbourhood Information Service tool allows you to find your councillor, recycling and bin collection dates, information about your property, your local parks, one stop shops and much more

www.liverpool.gov.uk

Posted by Ian Jackson at November 9, 2006 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From liverpool.gov.uk...

Help brighten up your city

PUBS, clubs, restaurants, hospitals and shops are being encouraged to join the city's residents and take part in this year's North West in Bloom awards.

Organisers hope that by helping spruce-up commercial gardens, Liverpool can win its bid to host the North West in Bloom awards in our Capital of Culture year - 2008.

Last year the city's seven neighbourhood areas all entered - with stunning results. Now there have been a record number of entries and council staff along with Enterprise-Liverpool are working with residents to show off the city in its best light.

Councillor Marilyn Fielding, Liverpool's executive member for neighbourhood services, said: "Residents have really taken to the idea and our neighbourhood staff are working with them to make sure our streets are as pleasant as they possibly can be. If owners of commercial businesses also take it on board then our city will look even more stunning than normal.

"From begonias in Broadgreen to freesias in Fazakerley and dahlias in Dingle - the city will be awash with vibrant colourful displays."

North West in Bloom judges will visit scores of sites in Liverpool in July. Among them will be Lister Crescent in Fairfield where residents and council staff maintain a beautiful well-used central garden overlooked by all the homes, which won best Small Neighbourhood category last year. And Woolton Village which last year won the Best Large Village category after beating off strong competition from Port Sunlight and Pilling.

North West in Bloom introduced a 'neighbourhood' category to their competition in 2005. Liverpool City Council worked with Residents to enter 13 gardens. Each of these 13 entrants received an award ranging from an 'Improvement' Award up to the highest award for the North West - the Best Neighbourhood for the North West Region

If you have, or are planning to make the best of an outdoor shared space, regardless of its size, contact Karen Cox, 1st Floor Millennium House, Victoria Street, Liverpool or ring 233- 3018

The council would particularly like to hear from anyone who has a gated alley and would like help in turning it into a neighbourhood garden. The City will provide support to anyone wishing to enter the competition.

Posted by Ian Jackson at June 14, 2006 11:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

TOP author Frank Cottrell Boyce will be reading extracts from his acclaimed book 'Millions' at a Liverpool library this coming Wednesday.

The novel by the Liverpool born writer is the focus of the Liverpool Reads campaign, which is encouraging people to pick up and read the book. It tells the story of two young boys who find £1 million.

The book reading is part of a series of activities taking place between noon and 5pm at Wavertree Library on Picton Road on March 15, aimed at encouraging people to take up new interests.

'Wake up to Wavertree' has been organised by the libraries service, South Suburbs Neighbourhood Management Team and Age Concern in conjunction with Liverpool Reads and the Wavertree Society.

Other highlights of the day include a creative health workshop, details of heritage walks, a tai-chi and container gardening demonstration session as well as computer workshops.

Councillor Tina Gould, assistant executive member for leisure and culture, said: "This is a chance for people find out more about the wide range of many and varied activities that are available on their doorstep."

Key events are:

1.45pm and 4.15pm - Frank Cottrell Boyce reading and talking about his Liverpool Reads book 'Millions' and new work 'Framed'.

3.30pm - Wild and Magic Creative Health Workshop to prepare you for the year ahead.

1.00pm; 2.15pm and 4.00 pm - Healthy Heritage Walks in the Wavertree area.

12.45pm and 2.00pm - Tai Chi Demonstration and Taster session.

12.15pm - Chair based exercise session.

Free refreshments and raffles will be available throughout the day

Posted by Ian Jackson at March 13, 2006 03:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From Liverpool.gov.uk...

ONE of Liverpool's oldest libraries is proving popular following work to give it a huge facelift.

Old Swan library opened in 1913 as a reading room, with books originally brought in by hand cart from nearby Lister Drive library. An extension was added in the 1960's to create a children's library.

The new look building includes new fixtures and fittings, self-service points so people can take out and return books themselves and a 'Surfzone' with access to state of the art computers with free internet and email facilities.

The library receives more than 120,000 visits per year and loans over 80,000 books.

More...

Posted by Ian Jackson at March 3, 2006 08:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My endless trawl of the internet in search of items relating to Liverpool art and culture unearths all kinds of bits and pieces. Here's one I spotted today, I knew that the council were encouraging people to do more recycling this Christmas but hadn't realised that the lights are being powered entirely from Bio-fuel made from vegetable waste.

There's a critical typing error in this Lighting & Sounds magazine report though..

The Bio Fuel that ruins these generators is made from reprocessed vegetable waste. It's 100 per cent natural, gives off no nasty emissions or exhaust fumes and is environmentally friendly. They consume about the same volume of fuel than diesel machines. "This is the first time we've had these available" says Grant, "And we are all keen to use them where possible in the future".

Lots of techie stuff if you're into lighting and sound, e.g...

Sound consisted of a Funktion One Resolution 5 system - eight elements a side, with two Res 4 infills, Turbo 450 wedges for monitors and a Midas Venice FOH console run by Francoise Lemoignan. Audile used their new Sennheiser 935 radio mics for the first time in an 8-way system.

Eh? Turbo wedges?

Posted by Ian Jackson at November 28, 2005 11:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

from liverpool.gov.uk (full story)

The Liverpool Culture Company, which is responsible for the city's European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008, has devised a two hour walk and listen guide to the city's top 16 must-see heritage attractions.

For just a £15 deposit visitors will be able to navigate the World Heritage city's 800 year history equipped with a free guide and a digital trigger which activates a DVD within panels installed at the attractions.

The Heritage Audio Tour of Liverpool will be available in seven languages. It will enable visitors to tour the city at their own leisure and hear all about some of Liverpool's famous buildings, people and places - from the fab four and the builders of the Titanic, to the world's first commercial dock to Britain's biggest cathedral.

The digital innovation is the latest phase of a £1 million campaign called 'Connecting Liverpool' which has revolutionised the look of the city's street signage, way finders and heritage plaques as the city gears up to welcome an expected extra 1.5 million visitors in 2008.

The DVD's will be installed in December 2005 for testing and are planned to be available in January 2006. The digital pack will be available at the city's 08 Place, hotels and attractions. Walkers have the option to return the trigger with money back or keep it and use it again and again.

Posted by Ian Jackson at November 5, 2005 07:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)