Is anyone ready to save the Planet?

May 19 2008 by Peter Elson, Liverpool Daily Post

British Waterways apart, no authority appreciates Planet’s value or what she means to people and the city.

FAR from capitalising on this, the current villains in this sorry saga, Liverpool City Council, refused to lay water and electricity on the quayside to allow restoration to be completed and Planet to function.

This emerged after enquiries by Louise Ellman, Liverpool Riverside MP and a steadfast Planet supporter, via Judith Feather, Liverpool Culture Co’s marine events manager.

Incredibly, Liverpool Council’s chief executive, Colin Hilton, reported to Ms Feather that the cost of installing such services, believed to be around £80,000, was too high. Meanwhile, The Strand is currently being completely rebuilt. Rod Holmes, director of construction at Grosvenor Liverpool One shopping complex, told me it would be “a day’s work” to install such services, but he has no authority on The Strand quayside.

This refusal to lay services is shocking, as it’s been long-planned to permanently moor the wartime convoy escort sloop, HMS Whimbrel, as the Battle of the Atlantic Memorial Ship, adjacent to Planet.

As the last surviving British Battle of the Atlantic vessel, HMS Whimbrel will be an international tourist draw. How can she function without water or electricity? Will her staff have to power the ship using AA batteries and buckets of water?

Yet, even now, McClarnan cannot quite bring himself to sever links with Liverpool and remove LV Planet to live outside his company’s office at Salford Quays.

Although he wants rid of the vessel, his claims to be fed up with Planet are perhaps exaggerated by frustration as he desperately hopes a major benefactor will arrive to keep her in Liverpool.

Instead of selling Planet abroad, he would rather strike a deal with St Paul’s Trust, which trains over 16-year-olds wanting to join the Merchant Navy.

Founded in London in 1983, St Paul’s Trust relocated to Liverpool in 1991 and already has several small vessels which they use for training purposes with their groups of seafaring hopefuls.

“A number of people have been in touch since I put Planet up for sale, some via the internet from as far apart as Holland and Israel,” says McClarnan.

“My one real preferred prospect is with St Paul’s Trust, which has been running for several years on Merseyside.

“These were the first people I had contact with. They opened with the words ‘we’ve no money, but we want to keep her here’.

“They’re a Christian organisation and take young men, who are often at a loose end, and train them up in Merchant Navy-type activities.

“They were very successful until their funding was withdrawn, but we’re hoping they’ll find further grant aid.”

His back-stop is taking Planet to Manchester where, unlike Liverpool, Trafford Council will welcome her as an adornment to Salford Quays.

“Again my preference is to keep Planet in Liverpool, although I’ve no longer the time to be involved with her, but I might hold on for a while and run the project in St Paul’s style,” says McClarnan.

“What we’re looking for is a white knight to come in with the cash to support the St Paul’s Trust plan, which is very worthwhile.

“The best way to realise this opportunity is to stay in Liverpool and the ideal situation would be for someone to support the trust.”

St Paul’s Trust operations manager Paul Smith has met McClarnan, but the Planet plan depends on the outcome of applications for several grants.

“We’ve held initial discussions regarding the use of Planet as a training base for disadvantaged local young people. The vessel would represent a real beacon of hope for our students.

“Now we’re trying to secure new funding for this future work on Merseyside. Gary has expressed his support and negotiations about Planet are continuing.”

peter.elson@dailypost.co.uk

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