No Rock And Roll Fun

DEVELOPMENTS: While we're in Liverpool, lets pop into Quiggins, shall we? Boasting record stores, clothes shops, flea markets and everything for a vaguely countercultural afternoon of shop-monging, Quiggins is dear to our hearts; it's also a major tourist attraction, singled out for praise by sources as different as easyjet and ItchyGuides, and, through the Brook Cafe, ocassional gigs and providing a focus for fliers and posters, a vital cog in the local music scene. So, when the council announced plans to redevelop the city centre round exisitng buildings, Quiggins were keen to offer their support. They were as surprised as any of us to discover, then, that the plan was to keep the gorgeous Quiggins Building, but to put a new big tenant (we've heard the name Debenhams mentioned) in place of the forty quirky, unique small businesses currently in there. Now, there's actually a number of places where Debenhams could go to in and around the city centre - we can't help wondering why the obliteration of one of the few things that makes Liverpool different from any other city centre is being deemed neccesary.
For your consideration, though: one of the developers working with the council is Urban Splash. Urban Splash also operate Liverpool Palace, a similar type of multi-store location to Quiggins. Probably just a coincidence, though.