Recently by Frank Mckenna

Downtown in Business has backed a national campaign opposing a future Tory Government's planning policies.
The Conservatives have suggested that they want to hand over more power to local councils for planning decisions - a proposal that I believe would be disastrous.

On the eve of the first Merseyside 'Derby' of the season, it is perhaps inevitable to reminisce about the 'glory years'. The 60s, 70s and most particularly in the 80s our city's football clubs dominated the English game with some aplomb. There were regular Liverpool vs. Everton Wembley occasions. How we laughed as we sang in unison 'Are you watching Manchester...' before breaking into a raucous chant of 'Merseyside, Merseyside, Merseyside'.

A letter from Government minister Sadiq Khan that was released earlier this week seemed to suggest that the potential for the building of a tram system across the Liverpool City Region was, in the foreseeable future, dead in the water.
The minister's correspondence indicated that the absence of the scheme from a list of regional transport priorities, compiled earlier this year, meant that Mersey Travel and its partners had missed a crucial window of opportunity to present its case for the tram.

Phil Woolas, the Government minister for the North West region, was in good form at the breakfast event hosted by DLIB last week, at the superb new offices of one of our corporate sponsors, Grant Thornton.
Among the many points he made came a suggestion that Liverpool should re-establish its own stock market in the city. This is a cracking idea that we will be exploring with Neil Blankstone of Blankstone Sington and others in the coming weeks.

Despite the best efforts of that perennial marketer and master of the sound bite Peter Mandelson, the Labour Party Conference appeared to be more of a wake and preparation for defeat than a celebration and a hopeful look to the future, as the governing party gathered in Brighton this week.

It is always fascinating when you get the opportunity to interview a senior politician, particularly one that is preparing for power with an agenda for change.
So, it was a pleasure to host the latest DLIB event, at the offices of DWF, where shadow home secretary Chris Grayling responded to my questions on a range of issues including public spending cuts, local Government structures and crime and disorder.

Apparently, the public of Liverpool are to be asked their view on whether to adopt an elected mayoral system for the city.
The change would see the existing arrangement of council Leader and cabinet scrapped.

Tesco

News reaches us that Tesco have withdrawn its application to have a store on Hope Street. Those who read my Blog properly recently will not be surprised to know that I applaud that decision, as the location seemed inappropriate and a little odd.
However, before we all start celebrating too much, let us hope that this is not an indication that Tesco have reached the conclusion that so many businesses over the years have sadly reached. That is, Liverpool is too hard. Too hard to do business in. Too hard to do business with.

If this is a one off decision, made because of an understanding of the local sensitivities and opposition to the proposal, fine. But, if Tesco have become fed up with the regular battering they receive from a city that they have invested heavily in over the past decade, then we may be experiencing short term gain for long term pain.

The new national sport of 'Tesco bashing' has been embraced at a local level with some enthusiasm during the past fortnight, and I have to say I am a little disappointed, if not surprised. Like most Liverpudlians, I can see why folk would prefer the supermarket chain to find a more appropriate location than the beautiful Hope Street for its next store. Good luck to those who are objecting to that particular proposal.

Downtown Liverpool has been busy putting together its programme of activities for the forthcoming autumn/winter and we have a great line-up of events in store for you.
Already we have hosted more than 20 business networking occasions in 2009, and enjoyed contributions from a range of key decision makers and entrepreneurs, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, John Kelly, head of regeneration for Liverpool, Robert Elstone, Everton chief executive and cushion king Tony Caldeira.