GROSVENOR has revealed it will spend more than £1m on security at its Paradise Street development next year – but critics last night said it could still not be enough.

City centre sources have told the Daily Post that the Duke of Westminster’s company has appeared reluctant to fund extra policing for the 43-acre shopping centre, which will open in 2008.

But managers of Liverpool 1 insist they are in talks with Merseyside’s Chief Constable, Bernard Hogan-Howe, about how the huge budget to protect the £920m scheme will best be spent.

Police sources said the shopping centre could prove to be a “policing nightmare” and claimed Grosvenor had been “uncooperative”.

They said: “Discussions have been taking place for the last year, but so far it has been quite difficult.

“Grosvenor wants to pay for its own security team and has made it clear it is not interested in funding a designated police team.

“The shopping centre will effectively be an expansion of the city centre. It is different to places like the Trafford Centre, which are outside cities, and are patrolled by security guards and bouncers.

“The streets will be open after the shops have closed, they will need to be policed and there needs to be additional resources to do it.

“Crime figures in Liverpool city centre are at their lowest in 10 years. Liverpool 1 will attract a lot more visitors and has the potential to increase crime rates again if it is not properly policed.”

Sources claim problems with Grosvenor began when an issue arose with its radio signals inside the centre.

Police officers discovered their radios would not work very well and asked the company to upgrade its system at a cost of about £3m. The Daily Post has been told Grosvenor refused, but last night the company said it was still looking into the issue.

It is also claimed that officers were put out when the company agreed to let Merseyside Police have use of a room in the centre, but said the force would have to pay commercial rates.

A city centre source said last night: “The police and representatives of the business community have tried repeatedly to get meetings with Grosvenor to convince them that they need to make a firm commitment to providing extra policing. But meetings have been repeatedly cancelled and at some points we feel we have been stone-walled.

“We are becoming increasingly concerned that they will carry on making their own arrangements and the police will have to fit around them.”

Last night, Grosvenor’s retail projects director, Rod Holmes, said: “It is ridiculous to say that we are not cooperating with the police. It is mischief making.

“I have had numerous meetings with the Chief Constable. Perhaps people are not aware of this because the meetings have been taking place at the highest levels.

“We are going to spend well over £1m in 2008 alone on security.

How this money will be spent is still under discussion, but we are working very closely with the force. How much of it will go towards additional policing we don’t yet know. “

Mr Holmes said the money could be spent on security officers or a team of designated police or a mixture of both.

He continued: “We want Liverpool’s reputation as a safe place to visit to thrive and we will do anything we can to help that.”

Mr Holmes pointed out that Grosvenor had been a key supporter of Mr Hogan-Howe when he tried to secure funding for extra officers during Capital of Culture year from Policing Minister Tony McNulty.

Grosvenor said it would provide financial support, but the Government refused to match it.

Cllr Mike Storey, executive member for special initiatives, said: “We need Grosvenor to think about how they want to work with the city council and the police in ensuring Liverpool 1’s visitors are well protected and now is the time to do it.”

jessicashaugnessy@dailypost.co.uk

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