More than 50 street traders in Liverpool are to be exiled because they don't contribute the right 'ambience', repor...
More than 50 street traders in Liverpool are to be exiled because they don't contribute the right 'ambience', reported The Independent on Sunday (p11).
The traders today claim the Liberal Democrats running the city council have a different retail agenda from the Old Labour group from whom they wrested power. 'Street trading has a detrimental effect on appearance, investment and the overall ambience', explained a council spokesman. 'It affects Liverpool's aspirations to be one of the leading and most attractive cities in Europe'.
They have another month of trading before a full council meets takes its final decision. The outcome is awaited with interest by other northern towns agonising over the future of high streets faced with crippling competition from out-of-town shopping malls. Do they 'trade up' and banish the barrows, or retain colourful low-price shopping with no check-outs or credit cards?
Liverpool's attempts to resolve the issue date back 20 years, when some traders were evicted to make way for an ultimately abortive episode in 'ambience-generation' - the erection of a huge bronze statue of a cart-horse.
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