Mathew Street: People must resign call

Aug 2 2007

Mathew Street

HEADS must roll in the wake of the Mathew Street fiasco, key city figures said today.

Liam Fogarty, chairman of amayorforliverpool.org, said: “The decision to axe this year’s Mathew Street Festival is a disaster for Liverpool and, for once, someone must take responsibility and resign.

"City council leaders took the decision on health and safety grounds. Building work at the Pier Head means the city centre cannot accommodate thousands of revellers and visitors in safety.

“It beggars belief that the festival should be abandoned just three weeks before it was due to take place."

Frank McKenna, chairman of Downtown Liverpool in Business, said: “I’m gobsmacked. It’s an incredible decision and sends out a very, very negative message on the eve of our Capital of Culture year.

“What are we doing, waiting until this late stage to cancel one of the best known festivals the city undertakes?

“This is completely inexcusable. The Mathew Street Festival is part and parcel of the city’s heritage.

“This just undermines confidence in the people running the Culture Company at the moment.”

Former Liberal Democrat Lord Mayor Ron Gould said: “I feel so let down and angered by what has happened. I am really flabbergasted at this decision. Way back it was discussed that it could be held in Sefton Park."

Councillor Paul Brant, acting Leader of the city’s Labour Group, has questioned the amount of money which will be lost to the economy and the lack of thought for visitors who travel from as far as Japan and America.

He said: “The construction work at the Pier Head has been planned and known about by the City Council for years and the decision to cancel the Mathew Street Festival because of the resulting crowd control and safety issues demonstrate an appalling ability to properly foresee the consequences.

“Many thousands of visitors and local businesses will pay the price for the councils incompetence."