Mistaken identity

Feb 26 2008 by Mr Brocklebank, Liverpool Daily Post

Mistaken identity

HOW amusing that the celebrated late sculptor Arthur Dooley was commemorated by the Band of the Irish Guards playing at Liverpool Academy.

Many moons ago, Dooley absconded from this very regiment (allegedly in a tank) while serving in Palestine and joined the PLO freedom fighters, before being detained in the glass-house at Her Majesty’s Pleasure. Should not the organisers have booked the Ramallah Silver and Camel-Hoof String Band?

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WHILE promenading in the city, Mr Brocklebank was button-holed by an over-excited visitor, his faced etched with impatience, who shouted: “I’ve been sold this ticket by Ryanair to come to the city of culture and it’s the city of holes.”

Surely the tourists aren’t already turning on us? Don’t they realise it will be finished in 2009? Well, 2010, or maybe 2011-12-ish?

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WRITER Fay Weldon has told on her friend and Crosby’s greatest living novelist, Dame Beryl Bainbridge.

She revealed last week how Beryl complained to the woman sitting next to her at a 10, Downing Street literary lunch that the event was “boring and ghastly” and she was “dying for a smoke”. A friend dragged her away, saying: “You can’t speak to the Queen like that”. To which Beryl replied: “I thought she was Vera Lynn.”

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FOR a city council which routinely pleads poverty, Liverpool showed exceptional generosity in 2006 by spending £200,000 to prop up the historic Georgian terrace of Nos 68, 70 and 72, Seel Street.

Now, in an astonishing cave-in, the council has agreed owner Frenson can immediately demolish the row entirely, in spite of previously revised permission to remove the back, providing the facade was retained.

While council executive member for heritage Cllr Berni Turner blames Frenson, why didn’t the council monitor its big investment properly? With Frenson also claiming the adjacent 64-66, Seel Street is unsafe, will Cllr Turner retreat again?

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LATEST Hard Day’s Night Hotel mystery statues identification.

A reader writes that the hotel’s indistinguishable quartet of exterior figures celebrates Liverpool’s Native American heritage links and represent Geronimo, Crazy Horse, legendary Cheyenne chief Black Kettle (with guitar) and Sioux leader Rain-in-the-Face (particularly appropriate for Liverpool).

Our reader adamantly claims they all lodged in Upper Parliament Street bed-sits and it is imperative we mark their presence.

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HOW up-lifting to see Liverpool’s seven original streets graced by plaques, especially Water Street’s noting it was previously Bonk Street. Some energetic citizens help keep this old name’s spirit alive in the city centre, as anyone walking around on weekend nights will concur.