The first timer

Jun 29 2008 by Peter Elson, Liverpool Daily Post

Peter Elson talks to Nigel Green

NIGEL Green’s achievement in bringing the Tall Ships Race to Liverpool and the Mersey in 1984 at a time when the city's fortunes were at rock bottom is widely regarded as a brilliant coup.

Nigel, the former press and publicity officer of the now defunct Merseyside County Council, recalls how one day he was struck by the unique potential of the river.

“The council was housed in the Metropolitan Tower, on Old Hall Street, Liverpool," says Nigel, 78.

“One day, I was looking out across the river and it suddenly struck me what a blindingly obvious asset was staring me in the face.

“While the river and docks no longer drove the city's commerce, that didn't mean it couldn't be harnessed for a new era of the leisure age.

“I thought, my goodness, this is a unique resource that no other British city can boast. We're crazy not to use it to develop tourism.

“Liverpool's city centre literally sits alongside a river that's more the size of a small sea. It also proves that the simple ideas are often the best.

“If we could get all the clubs involved with the river and sailing could be brought together, we could stage a river festival.

“That was in 1980 and I contacted all sail and yacht clubs on both sides of the river as far as Ellesmere Port, river pilots coastguards and port officials to see what we could do.

“Some said it wouldn't work, but most soon became enthused by their common interests, having previously seen other clubs only as rivals.

“The first River Festival in 1981 ran on three weekends on both sides of the river, involving 40 organisations.

“With the dedicated help of organisers like Judith Feather, Pamela Brown and scores of volunteers, it grew and got better and better.”

Nigel’s masterplan was that the Mersey should be in constant use as the basis for such events.

Having quickly proved the Mersey's revived value with the River Festival and backed by his maritime events committee, Nigel was ready to go for the big one - the Tall Ships' Race.

“I went to a London meeting of the Sail Training Association, which was then in charge, and they agreed to send a delegation up to assess our facilities,” says Nigel.

“That team was blown away by what they saw. They couldn't believe there was so much river and dock space to accommodate the fleet.”

Having secured the 1984 event, Nigel worked with Capt John Brown, seconded from Liverpool Pilot Service, to run it as there were no council maritime experts. The chief liaison officer was Peter Booth from Perry's.

“The 1984 Tall Ships Race here had the most wonderful spontaneity. We made up as we went along,” says Nigel.

“Everyone involved at every level was terrific. John Parks, chairman of Unilever, who lived in Parkgate, chaired the 1984 committee.

“Others like Phil Hockey, of the RNLI, were phenomenal in finding whatever we needed. The commitment to make it happen was amazing.

“There was the most fantastic support from Merseyside County Council's chairman Bill Sefton and chief executive Ray O'Brien.

“Obviously, occasional problems arose which caused me to wake up in a sweat at 2am. The original plan was to berth the fleet in Albert Dock and Princes Dock.

“Then Ray O'Brien and I were summoned to a Mersey Docks meeting and were told they were permanently closing Waterloo river lock before the race, which ruled out using Princes Dock, as agreed.

“We were stunned. Ray said to me as we left, 'Did you hear what I think I've just heard?'

“But every problem is an opportunity, so we spread the event over to Wirral, which proved so popular.”

Nigel became chairman of the steering committee of the 1992 tall ships event in Liverpool, eight months before it began, after the sudden departure of his predecessor.

“In contrast, the 1992 event was much more commercial and corporate, with the Merseyside Development Corporation in charge,” says Nigel.

With Her Majesty the Queen unavailable, Nigel had the audacious brainwave of inviting King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sophia of Spain to be guests of honour.

This perfectly fitted the year's Grand Regatta Columbus theme with the Tall Ships' Race from Cadiz, in Spain, to North America and the second leg to Liverpool.

“They were fantastic guests and Queen Sofia was lovely, rather like Felicity Kendall. Prince Andrew represented the Queen,” says Nigel.

“Leaders like Michael Heseltine, who, as Minister for Merseyside, was so supportive as was the MDC's chairman Sir Philip Carter.

“He said ‘you've got a most marvellous river equipped like no other city in the UK and we should use it’.

“There was a lot of talk, but also action. These were people who really could deliver. But for me, the 1984 event was the one I remember with most affection. It was a real turning point for Liverpool's image.

“Once again, it emphasised the sharp dependence between the docks and city and the mutual benefits in keeping that link going.

“It was great to see the docks filled with ships and people again, but best was overhearing visitors say ‘things are really happening here now’.”