A long time ago but in 1987/88, I successfully proposed the dumping of 100,000 tonnes of sand on the rocks at Perch Rock. Since then, with the help of the 1980's concrete and stone groynes the beach has continued to grow southwards to the old Black Pearl site and dry out to a beautiful golden colour replacing the depressing black. We had not had sand here since the 1960's and it was difficult to persuade people how beautiful it could look, now it is equally difficult to persuade people how black and depressing the shore looked. I also wrote the 1991 booklet 'New Brighton and the MDC' criticising the Merseyside Development Corporation's compulsory purchase of over 50 businesses and the loss of 200 jobs with only one business (Kev's hairdressers) relocated at a cost then if £3 million. They also built a car park in front of the Fort, where I proposed a sandy bay (shades of Joni Mitchell). My 1992 booklet on the varying success (then) of the coastal defence groynes resulted in Wirral Counci placingl boulders as further protection at the base of the King's Parade sea wall near present day Morrisons. The beach levels here are still the same level as in the eighties (photographs do not lie) and this is why it is still the area of the King's Parade is still most likely to flood. It needs about 200,000 tonnes of sand pumped ashore here to raise the beach to the same levels as the western end of Kings Parade where at Wallasey Beach the sand levels have gone up ten metres (30 feet!) since 1987. Ships were used to pump sand ashore to fill in Bramley Moore Dock, so it could easily be done here. These are 'real world's observations and I do hope Wirral Council will now support the revamped proposal to put a sand beach in the marine lake, first suggested by myself in 1987. Work needs to be done to get rid of the algae in the lake, possibly by replicating mussel beds and restoring the water clarity to that of Liverpool Docks. They are as I say my 'real world's observations, based on 45 years of studying New Brighton's coast. I would also like to see Wormhole Cave excavated by Time Team, the cliffs above were found to be a Neolithic flint working site in 1896 so who knows what may be discovered. They are my 'real world's observations and I do hope my next post about New Brighton's links with world literature and the potential to help regeneration will be taken just as seriously.
A fine article capturing where we are at right now, there’s still a buzz about the place not least with the involvement of somebody of Jaynes standing, plus the excellent work of the Northern kites regenerating a neglected corner up at Harrison drive. Tallulahs is a small bar, entertainment and food hub with great daily events covering jazz and northern soul, added to Jaynes new District bar and media center along with Oakland gallery we are well and truly on the culture map.
Great to see the foundations laid by Dan being developed further, a couple of minor gripes, The Bow legged Beagle and the Homebrew tap are both Micro pubs rather than micro breweries, both located on Victoria Road rather than Victoria Street. Penny for the diver anyone?
New Brighton has major links with Jules Verne's 1874 novel Mysterious Island and Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. This new literary heritage could be a major help in the regeneration of the town.
Brilliantly written article. It expressed what everyone feels in an almost poetic way. The description of that hideous clown eyesore made me laugh out loud. It cost £30,000 when you could have bought a row of houses for that kind of money! Never met anyone who liked it. I agree entirely with everything so eloquently written here. I’m part of Liscard Town Centre Regeneration Partnership and we have all the same frustrations and concerns.
That whole Kings Parade / Dips area is crying out for SOMETHING. A huge Sainsbury’s constitutes regeneration? Victoria Parade should be a busy natural thoroughfare. The recent closure of Remember When is illustrative. No seasisde town should be losing places like that. Daniel Davies has done a fantastic job but the lack of ambition or even common sense from the Council is woeful.
Some interesting ideas, but without wishing to sound like the smart arse standing on the side saying "coulda told yer that'd happen" the minute something goes wrong, I seem to remember reading about the idea of the tunnels a few years back, it sounds like it could be a great idea and would draw in some people who possibly remember working there, and general tourists, the potential's there and so, it seems, is the enthusiam & vision would be good to see words turned into deeds
I enjoyed the article very much - I lived in NB for 20 years, only moving to downsize to a pensioner’s bungalow. I love how it has developed and look forward to further changes.
I wish people weren’t so hard on councillors, though. You (yes you) could do that job and maybe you should. Criticism is useful when it is constructive, but moaning is a waste of breath. So if you don’t like it, stand for election!
P.s. I am not, nor ever have been, a councillor- it’s too demanding for me.
Am I correct in my thinking that at one time, after the tower had burned down & the outdoor fair closed New Brighton was cruelly nicknamed "the last resort"
A long time ago but in 1987/88, I successfully proposed the dumping of 100,000 tonnes of sand on the rocks at Perch Rock. Since then, with the help of the 1980's concrete and stone groynes the beach has continued to grow southwards to the old Black Pearl site and dry out to a beautiful golden colour replacing the depressing black. We had not had sand here since the 1960's and it was difficult to persuade people how beautiful it could look, now it is equally difficult to persuade people how black and depressing the shore looked. I also wrote the 1991 booklet 'New Brighton and the MDC' criticising the Merseyside Development Corporation's compulsory purchase of over 50 businesses and the loss of 200 jobs with only one business (Kev's hairdressers) relocated at a cost then if £3 million. They also built a car park in front of the Fort, where I proposed a sandy bay (shades of Joni Mitchell). My 1992 booklet on the varying success (then) of the coastal defence groynes resulted in Wirral Counci placingl boulders as further protection at the base of the King's Parade sea wall near present day Morrisons. The beach levels here are still the same level as in the eighties (photographs do not lie) and this is why it is still the area of the King's Parade is still most likely to flood. It needs about 200,000 tonnes of sand pumped ashore here to raise the beach to the same levels as the western end of Kings Parade where at Wallasey Beach the sand levels have gone up ten metres (30 feet!) since 1987. Ships were used to pump sand ashore to fill in Bramley Moore Dock, so it could easily be done here. These are 'real world's observations and I do hope Wirral Council will now support the revamped proposal to put a sand beach in the marine lake, first suggested by myself in 1987. Work needs to be done to get rid of the algae in the lake, possibly by replicating mussel beds and restoring the water clarity to that of Liverpool Docks. They are as I say my 'real world's observations, based on 45 years of studying New Brighton's coast. I would also like to see Wormhole Cave excavated by Time Team, the cliffs above were found to be a Neolithic flint working site in 1896 so who knows what may be discovered. They are my 'real world's observations and I do hope my next post about New Brighton's links with world literature and the potential to help regeneration will be taken just as seriously.
A fine article capturing where we are at right now, there’s still a buzz about the place not least with the involvement of somebody of Jaynes standing, plus the excellent work of the Northern kites regenerating a neglected corner up at Harrison drive. Tallulahs is a small bar, entertainment and food hub with great daily events covering jazz and northern soul, added to Jaynes new District bar and media center along with Oakland gallery we are well and truly on the culture map.
Great to see the foundations laid by Dan being developed further, a couple of minor gripes, The Bow legged Beagle and the Homebrew tap are both Micro pubs rather than micro breweries, both located on Victoria Road rather than Victoria Street. Penny for the diver anyone?
Areal game changer would be to make the Victoria Quarter traffic free, that would open up the central area for weekly markets and events,
New Brighton has major links with Jules Verne's 1874 novel Mysterious Island and Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. This new literary heritage could be a major help in the regeneration of the town.
Brilliantly written article. It expressed what everyone feels in an almost poetic way. The description of that hideous clown eyesore made me laugh out loud. It cost £30,000 when you could have bought a row of houses for that kind of money! Never met anyone who liked it. I agree entirely with everything so eloquently written here. I’m part of Liscard Town Centre Regeneration Partnership and we have all the same frustrations and concerns.
That whole Kings Parade / Dips area is crying out for SOMETHING. A huge Sainsbury’s constitutes regeneration? Victoria Parade should be a busy natural thoroughfare. The recent closure of Remember When is illustrative. No seasisde town should be losing places like that. Daniel Davies has done a fantastic job but the lack of ambition or even common sense from the Council is woeful.
An excellent article. Don’t let the council get involved or it’ll still be a dream in 30 years.
Some interesting ideas, but without wishing to sound like the smart arse standing on the side saying "coulda told yer that'd happen" the minute something goes wrong, I seem to remember reading about the idea of the tunnels a few years back, it sounds like it could be a great idea and would draw in some people who possibly remember working there, and general tourists, the potential's there and so, it seems, is the enthusiam & vision would be good to see words turned into deeds
I enjoyed the article very much - I lived in NB for 20 years, only moving to downsize to a pensioner’s bungalow. I love how it has developed and look forward to further changes.
I wish people weren’t so hard on councillors, though. You (yes you) could do that job and maybe you should. Criticism is useful when it is constructive, but moaning is a waste of breath. So if you don’t like it, stand for election!
P.s. I am not, nor ever have been, a councillor- it’s too demanding for me.
I have fond memories of visiting New Brighton as a child. A big part of it, of course, was getting the ferry across. Can't see that coming back.
Am I correct in my thinking that at one time, after the tower had burned down & the outdoor fair closed New Brighton was cruelly nicknamed "the last resort"