I have nothing against genuine buskers. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with aspiring musicians singing for their supper in an entertaining way.
In the old days, a solo performer playing an acoustic guitar and singing along was often a worthwhile addition to Liverpool’s streets scene. What I find unacceptable is when amplifiers and speakers are used or when untalented individuals play the same few bars badly over and over – basically begging with a musical instrument. In both cases, this causes great annoyance and distraction to those workers unfortunate enough to be within earshot.
Liverpool City Council has introduced a licensing system for buskers. I suspect this is just another money-making scheme. I would have rather more sympathy for it if the motivation was improving things for suffering shop and office staff.
A reader kindly sent me a Militant ere Liverpool Town Hall leaflet from the 1980’s. One picture reminded me that you know who and his acolytes scrapped a well-loved historical institution, as the Lord Mayor’s office is labelled as the Chairman’s Office.
Another picture shows the magnificent 89ft long large ballroom in use, with guests dining on a huge continuous loop of antique wooden tablets. As the Town Hall has used a set of round modern tables for quite some time, I wonder what happened to those fine tables. Perhaps they went west during that turbulent time, like so many other artefacts nominally in the Council’s care.
This also reminded me of the splendid large round table which graced one of the Education Department committee rooms. When that department moved from Sir Thoms Street in 1999, it was commandeered by then chief executive David Henshaw for his suite of rooms and had its leather covering replaced. As I am told that suite was recently taken over by Mayer Anderson, perhaps he now uses it?
IN 1864 Charles Mozley was elected Mayor of Liverpool. The then vicar of St George’s, a Reverend Kelly, was displeased with this and let it be known that it was iniquitous that a non-Christian, no matter how fine and public spirited a man he might be, should become the head of a Christian community.
The Council showed its feelings by boycotting the Rev Kelly’s church, which occupied the space now filled by the Queen Victoria monument.
Members of the council held their civic service away from St George’s and walked down to Church Street to St Peter’s leaving behind in demonstration its condemnation of the Rev Kelly and his church.
Charles Mozley was one of the founders of the banking industry in Liverpool from which many national offshoots have grown. He after a little trouble reminiscent of current banking troubles, left Liverpool but returned for burial at the Deane Road Cemetery which has been recently rededicated, and which closed for burials a long time ago.