Grant Shapps tries to save Ringo's house

Determined to step in where Liverpool councillor Flo Clucas failed, housing minister Grant Shapps has decided to save Ringo's house in the Dingle.

Actually, I say "where Flo failed", but in terms of making a large, eye-catching statement that turns out to not be pledge to protect the building at all, it's something of a success:

Mr Shapps said the house was considered by many as a "culturally important building".

"That is why, before a single bulldozer rumbles along Madryn Street, I want to ensure that every option has been considered," he said.

"In particular I want local community groups to have the opportunity to put forward viable proposals to preserve this historic house."

Of course he's going to do bugger all to actually save the building - he's a Tory, and we know how close they are to a pound note these days - but, hey, if the Big Society wants to do something, he's happy to issue a couple of press releases and sign a couple of letters.

You might wonder if Shapps' time might be better spent writing to Liverpool City Council about the scandalous neglect of the areas around Anfield, where people live, but maybe that wouldn't make it into all the papers.

Still, at least Grant has resisted the temptation to cram in a Beatles pun, right?

Oh... hang on...

He added: "It is right that the people of Liverpool themselves decide whether they want Ringo Starr's house to be demolished or to Let It Be."

It could be, he hopes, a building which would put an Octopuses' garden into the shade.

Somewhat surprisingly, while Shapps is talking about simply saving the house, Liverpool City Council react as if he wants to stop the entire redevelopment (which, actually, he should have been trying to do):

A spokesman said the council would consider the minister's request, but said: "Grant Shapps may not be aware of the fact that we have consulted extensively with local residents over these plans and the overwhelming majority are in favour of them.

"Residents have been fully involved in developing the proposals and have shown they want decent homes to replace houses which have long passed their lifespan.

"They are telling us that they are absolutely sick of the delays and the conditions they have to live in. They want the city council to demolish these properties as soon as possible so that they can get on with their lives."

The spokesman added: "It is vital for local people that this scheme goes ahead. We have not been helped by the massive cuts, but we are determined to get on with this work to improve the lives of local residents.

Of course, had the City Council simply improved the properties - which was all that was needed - the good people of Dingle would have been getting on with their lives a decade ago, and not living in area which is being allowed to slowly rot.

None of which, really, has anything to do with Ringo's first home. Nor does being Housing Minister really have much to do with Ringo Starr's home - surely that's Jeremy The Hunt's remit, isn't it?

Where is Beatles house?

A swift response from Flo Clucas on her proposal for a Beatles walk and news of Ringo's house:

Sorry, but the Beatles tourism brief is not with me. The proposal is a personal one, rather than a poirtfolio matter.
However, I will find out about Ringo's house for you. It is some 5 years since I was responsible for the housing portfolio. I will ask the Executive Director what the Museum's situation is, as the fit out for the new building has not yet taken place.

Thanks to Flo for the quick response.

Go on a Beatles ramble

An email from James M points out that those who suggest that Liverpool has little to offer beyond an endless regurgitation of its past should eat their words: Why, they're about to promote some new, young talent:

A BEATLES trail through Liverpool, taking in some of the most iconic locations connected to the Fab Four, is to be debated by city leaders.

What would you call such an invention?

Ideas for the trail – dubbed ‘The Long and Winding Road’ after the Let It Be track – include plotting the fateful route taken from the NEMS record store in Whitechapel to the Cavern on Mathew Street.

Really? That's going to be a bit of a stretch, given how the city council have allowed the city to be knocked about over the last fifty years.

Who's behind the idea, then? It turns out to be an old friend of No Rock And Roll Fun:

The motion was put forward by deputy city leader Cllr Flo Clucas and is to be debated at the meeting of the full council on Wednesday.

Flo, of course, can see the upside in cherishing The Beatles' heritage:

While in the run up to the Capital of Culture year, some were keen to stress that Liverpool has more to offer than just the Beatles, Cllr Clucas said she believed there was more to be made of Liverpool’s Beatles history.

She added: “From my point of view, firstly, the Beatles are big business, whatever you think about their music – which I happen to love.

Look at the classic performers, like Elvis, and Graceland, his home in Memphis – their home towns exploit it to the full.”

Exactly, Flo. Spot on.

You should have a word with your colleagues, though - if memory serves, one of the takes a totally opposing view - even encouraging the demolition of those very iconic landmarks which attract visitors in their hundreds, like Ringo Starr's first home:

Flo Clucas, executive member for housing, said: "Ringo Starr lived in the Madryn Street house for about three months before he moved to Admiral Grove, where he lived for about 20 years.

"John Lennon and Paul McCartney's childhood homes were preserved because they spent a significant part of their lives in them.

"The house on Madryn Street has no historical significance."

Of course, Flo did change her mind when people noticed what she was doing, and - to be fair - Ringo's house was standing in the way of a project to demolish perfectly serviceable Victorian homes to free up land for developers to build upon. Clucas then announced that the house would be saved for a grateful nation - although she wasn't very keen on sharing any of the details when we asked about them; eventually she told us it wasn't part of her remit any more and never replied when we asked her who was looking after the bricks.

Still, now she's back as chief Beatles champion on the city council, presumably she'll be able to help us out. We've dropped her a note to find out what happened to Ringo's house.

Let's go round again: Ringo's house

It's probably lucky I'm just a bloke doing a music website and not, say, someone with a serious council tax problem, as it seems Liverpool City Council has tremendous trouble with its outgoing email.

Still, after mentioning here that we were still waiting for a response from Flo Clucas about the mystery of Ringo's house, we had a response within a few hours:

The essence of the response was:
Both responses are correct. A new home has been found for the house, NML is delighted to have the prosepect of utilising it as indeedd they wrote to me some 15 months ago.
However we are currently in a legal process as far as a CPO is concerned and until that process is complete, no decision is made.
Best wishes
Flo
PS I have not had the Housing Portfolio for more than a year, so will not be in a position to respond to questions related to Housing.

So, that does sort of square the circle: when I was told back in January 2006 that "this has been done", it was "done" in the sense of "it hasn't been done yet". This is our response:

Flo,

Thanks for your reply - we really don't seem to have much luck with our email communication, do we? When I wrote to you in 2006, I seem to remember it was only the third time I contacted you that your response to me made it through the system.

Anyway, cheers for your clarification - I'm still not sure "this has been done" in 2006 and "no decision has been made" in 2007 can simultaneously be accurate, but I suspect that might just be me over-reading too much into the earlier phrase.

My apologies for tugging on your coat-tails with a housing matter - I'd assumed since you had been quoted in the Daily Mirror and the Liverpool Echo on the matter of Ringo's house at the start of this year it was still in your remit. Who should I now address my enquiries towards on this issue? I'm still very interested to get a response to the question about the cost of this project, and who will be funding it.

Thanks again for the reply,

Simon

As ever, we'll let you know when we get a response.

Ringo's house

Talk of the Beatles does remind me: I'd been hoping to hear from Flo Clucas, the Liverpool City Councillor who told us that Ringo Starr's old house had found a new home in 2006, and told the Liverpool Echo that the idea "remained a suggestion" in 2007. It seems a small enough anomaly, and I'd have thought there must be a simple explanation. I tried emailing Flo towards the back-end of February; no response. You'll recall our earlier correspondence took some time because she'd been to America and they'd moved the servers at Liverpool City Council, so after a month I prompted her again. Still nothing. We've tried for a third time this morning; let's hope she finds time to deal with this before the May elections.