For many years I worked as a Photographer on Cruise Ships, great life for a young lad.
One of the great thrills was sailing from Liverpool and, of course, returning. Sailing up the Mersey early in the morning with the sun rising behind the Liver Buildings was an awesome sight to be compared
with sailing into Sydney Harbour, Rio de Janeiro or Cape Town.
I sailed out of Liverpool on the Shaw Seville ship the 'Northern Star' in 1971. It was supposed to be the start of a northern-based cruise programme. Most cruises at the time started and finished in
Southampton. Unfortunately Liverpool was coming to the end of its great days as a passenger port.
The Trans-Atlantic Liners from New York and Montreal gave way to cheap air travel and people stopped sailing.
The Cruises stopped in 1973 when, because of the Gulf War, fuel costs made cruising unprofitable
So I am very happy that, again, cruise ships were coming to Liverpool on a regular basis, now that the new Cruise Liner facilities are available to them. This in turn brings many visitors to Liverpool,
not only the cruise ship Passengers, but the people who want to see the ships. Lots of people came to see the final visit of the QE2 in October.
Thompson Cruises has just cancelled plans for a major Liverpool based Cruise programme. 30 cruises, carrying 50.000 passengers and worth nearly £5million pound to the local economy. The reason given is
that the Pier Head terminal, built with public money, is a port of call and does not have loading facilities or custom and immigration facilities. Why not?
These facilities are provided by Manchester based Peel Holdings at Langton Dock in Bootle.
I have been aboard a Cruise Ship that was departing from Langton Dock Scrap Heap. It is not a pleasant sight, or smell, if the wind is in the wrong direction from the sewerage plant. Those mountains of
scrap make this possibly the worse place in the world to start a cruise from. I will give a prize to any one who can show me somewhere worse.
I suspect the reason Peel Holdings are not keen on Thompson Cruises sailing from the Pier Head is that Manchester based Peel Holdings would like to make the Freeport at Seaforth in Sefton, a Cruise
Terminus, and provide loading, custom and immigration facilities there, which would make a profit for Peel Holdings.
So providing these facilities at the Pier Head is not in Peel Holdings interests.
The Thompson Cruise business has gone to Newcastle and Southampton!
Peel Holdings want to develop huge areas of both sides of the river, 50 Billion pound investment is being talked about. But nothing must stand in the way; we must grasp this opportunity NOW. Well that is Peel holdings view on this and if they don’t get approval they will take their bat and their boat and develop else where, so you have been warned.
Funny, but every time a developer wants to build anything, they stamp their little foot and have a hissy fit if anyone questions the wisdom of their development.
Using those well-worn phrases, 'essential development' 'providing much needed employment' and 'creating jobs' and all these developments are 'World class.'
Shame about the area next to the Baltic Fleet pub, an attractive building was demolished, against much opposition, now the developer has gone bust that site is likely to remain an eye sore for a long,
long time.
When you look at some of the buildings that have been inflicted on Liverpool in the last few years, do we really want to rush into any more developments?
"It's a Wonderful Life"
(Thu 02/12)
TURN IT DOWN.
(Thu 11/11)
Do we need another Beatles book.
(Mon 11/10)
President or Pope, who is most welcome?
(Mon 16/08)
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