'They rule the roost': serious anti-social behaviour problems

By Katie Westwood

Hello from St Paul’s Square.

Daily Post Editor Dan Haygarth is still on his holidays, so you’ve got me, Katie Westwood, in the Daily Post hotseat until tomorrow. In today’s edition, ECHO Political Editor Liam Thorp looks into Liverpool’s “invisible bus fleet”. In May last year, a new fleet of state-of-the-art, publicly owned, zero-emission hydrogen buses was unveiled. The introduction of the new vehicles was supposed to be a “huge step forward” for the Liverpool City Region’s public transport network, but as Liam reports, the hydrogen buses have been beset by problems. As things stand, all 20 buses - which cost a reported ￡10 million to buy - are being stored at depots around the region.

Elsewhere, ECHO reporter Conaill Corner examines serious anti-social behaviour problems afflicting Belle Vale. Locals say youths in the area “rule the roost”, and there have been reports of gangs smashing cars, burning bins and intimidating people. A delivery driver didn’t leave his house for a week after experiencing violent racist abuse while working in Belle Vale. Conaill spoke to the mother of a young man who was stabbed to death in the area in 2018. She told him it would be “only a matter of time” before the area falls victim to another tragedy.

And finally, Local Democracy Reporter David Humphreys gives an update on stalled development plans for one of Liverpool’s most iconic buildings. In October 2023, plans were unveiled to transform the former George Henry Lee building on Basnett Street into a 175-bed hotel and casino. Earlier this year, the firm responsible for delivering the development went into financial difficulties. Six months on, no progress has been made. Bill Addy, chief executive of Liverpool BID - an organisation representing the city’s business community - told David that the lack of progress was “concerning” and symptomatic of a wider problem in that part of the city centre.

Thanks for reading.??

Liverpool City Region's invisible ￡10m bus fleet that have disappeared from view

On May 15 2023, the Liverpool City Region took what was described as a 'huge step forward' in its public transport revolution, or at least that was the hope.

That date marked the first journey for a new fleet of state-of-the-art, publicly owned, zero-emission hydrogen buses that had been purchased by the region's Combined Authority (CA) the year before. Twenty of the strikingly yellow vehicles were bought, primarily to run on the busy 10a route between St Helens and Liverpool city centre.

For Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, that first journey - for which he was on board - marked a key step in his mission to create a London-style, integrated transport network in the city region, a key priority for his time in office. He labelled the day of the first journey as 'momentous', heralding a 'gold-standard' of public transport.

But while it was all smiles on launch day, the hydrogen buses have been beset by problems since that point, spending large portions of time entirely off the road. You may have seen them parked up outside conferences and events, but chances are, you probably haven't seen them carrying passengers anytime recently. As things stand, all twenty are being stored at depots around the region.

The ECHO has been trying for some time to get a clear picture and answers as to what has gone wrong and the combined authority has now answered our many questions, giving an indication of what has taken place.

The buses were bought in 2022 for a total of ￡10m, with money secured from the government's Transforming Cities Fund, which was aimed at improving productivity by investing in public and sustainable transport infrastructure in English cities.

Delivery of the new vehicles was taken the following year, with their initial introduction into passenger service beginning on that heralded day in May 2023. The CA has confirmed that since that first journey, the fleet of hydrogen buses have completed just 450 passenger-carrying journeys in the region, totalling nearly 9,000km.

So what went wrong and why have they spent so much time off the road? Well the CA says that the initial roll-out of the fleet was initially delayed due to 'significant issues with global hydrogen supply.' But there were further complications once a more steady supply was found.

A spokesperson said: "Although we can confirm that a regular supply of green hydrogen fuel has now been secured, some technical issues attributable to the interruption of hydrogen fuel have meant they have had to be temporarily withdrawn from service. There has been no inconvenience to passengers, although unfortunately, this has further delayed the rollout of the vehicles."

At present, the buses are undergoing battery refit and software upgrades, which the CA points out are happening at 'zero cost' to the authority or the local taxpayer.? Read more

'They rule the roost': Area in the grip of terror with youths who 'think they are untouchable'

Residents in a South Liverpool neighbourhood say they are being "terrorised" as gangs of youths "smash cars, burn bins and intimidate people". Just last week, the ECHO reported on a delivery driver, working in Belle Vale , who "didn't leave his house for a week" after experiencing violent racist abuse, while last month, it was also reported on how a police officer in the area was hospitalised after being hit by a firework.

Anti-social behaviour in Belle Vale has been going on "for years," claim locals, and youths in the area "rule the roost". Office workers in the area are said to be so scared that they will go for lunch "in packs", while the mum of a teenager who was stabbed to death in the area believes "another tragedy is coming".

When the ECHO visited Belle Vale this week, several people were quick to mention the area around McDonald's on Childwall Valley Road, where they claim much of the trouble is centred around. One woman said: "I was walking past the McDonald's one evening last week when fireworks were shot at me. I was terrified."

A spokesperson for McDonald's said it is committed to making its restaurants "a safe and welcoming environment for everyone." The spokesperson also added: "We have a zero-tolerance policy for anti-social behaviour, and the safety and security of our employees and customers remains our highest priority."

While residents pointed out the area around the fast-food branch as a "hotspot", it's clear that anti-social behaviour is also being committed in other parts of the town. Jackie, who has lived in Belle Vale all her life, said: “Kids were setting bins on fire in the Morrisons the other week. Bus stops and cars have been smashed up too."

Another woman the ECHO spoke to called Deborah, added: “Bins are constantly being set on fire in the park. I’m absolutely sick of the kids here and sick of the area. They all need to be given ASBOs.”

One man said: “There’s not much around here for kids to do; if there was, we might not have all of this. It’s not just the boys causing trouble either - the girls are just as bad. Some of them are only about 11.”

In 2018, 16-year-old Daniel Gee-Jamieson was stabbed to death on The Nook, a park off Belle Vale Road. He bled out following a pre-arranged "straightener". The teenager was unarmed but was stabbed in the leg in front of dozens of onlookers.

Prosecutors said 17-year-old Owen Cousins was losing a "fistfight", so he pulled out a lock knife and stabbed Daniel in his left thigh. Liverpool Crown Court heard Daniel shouted "I've been stabbed", before fleeing to Belle Vale Road, where he collapsed in a pool of blood.

In 2019, a jury acquitted Cousins of murder but found him guilty of manslaughter, by a majority of 9 to 1, after a 10-day trial and 13 and a half hours of deliberation. He was jailed for 11 years but has since been released on licence after serving half of his standard determinate sentence.

Daniel's mum Mandy Jamieson told the ECHO she believes it is only a matter of time before the area falls victim to another tragedy. She said: “It’s coming, isn’t it? It’s got to be. Last time, it was Daniel and Brandon Regan, and for another mother to go through what me and Julie Regan have been through is wrong. You don’t want to walk in my shoes, it’s like living a life sentence."? Read more

What next for George Henry Lee building after hotel plans stalled

The lack of progress over one of Liverpool’s most historic former department stores is “concerning” according to the head of the organisation representing the city’s business community. Fears emerged earlier this year that a ￡25m plan to convert the former George Henry Lee building in Liverpool city centre could fall through after the firm behind them entered financial difficulty.

In October 2023, Landlab Developments Ltd secured planning permission from Liverpool Council to transform the former George Henry Lee building on Basnett Street into a 175-bed hotel and casino. It was hoped the firm, which lists its registered office location as Mossley Hill, would deliver the venue under the Accor Mama Shelter brand.

However, according to Companies House, the developer fell into receivership in May, placing the renovations in jeopardy. Six months on, no further progress has been made on getting the programme back on track.

For years, the historic former department store has stood vacant after Rapid Hardware closed its doors for the final time. When planning permission was secured last Autumn, it had been hoped contractors could begin work almost immediately.

This has now seemingly stalled, with London-based Antony Batty & Company appointed as the official receiver. Applying for such an option is an insolvency move in which a bank or lender takes control of the company to recover their debt.

This could lead to assets being sold to pay off owed funds. Bill Addy, chief executive of Liverpool BID, said the stalled plans were symptomatic of a wider issue in that part of the city centre.

He said: “It’s key for me that we’re still feeling the impact 15 years on from Liverpool ONE. It’s been terrific for the city but we have vacant sites in that area with no end users. It’s a significant part of the retail core of the city.

For us, it’s concerning and we’re trying to get a focus on that retail core from the city. At the heart of that is Williamson Square, the Playhouse Theatre and the Royal Court are part of it and you could extend it out to St Johns Market as well.”

During October’s planning committee, agent Richard Gee of Roman Sumner Associates, told the committee how the plans would include a sky bar and restaurant on site. The hotel would be delivered under the Accor Mama Shelter brand, making it the first of its kind outside London.

Mr Gee said it would represent “urban cool” with Mama Shelter designing “hotels around the ethos of the city selected." The building "needs to be put back into good and sustainable use," he added.

A design and access statement said despite the site once being a “very grand” department store, the interior of the building is currently in a very poor condition having gone through what is described as “a number of ad-hoc alterations, piecemeal demolitions and extensions here and there.” Among the other additions proposed include a games bar, sports bar, karaoke booths, cinema screens and a gym across nine floors.

George Henry Lee opened his first shop in Basnett Street in 1853 and the business eventually grew into one of the north's top department stores, with a striking building to match. It was bought by John Lewis in 1940.

In the 1960s the existing store was merged with the Bon Marche store next door, which faced onto Church Street. In 2002, the old George Henry Lee name was dropped and the store became John Lewis.

In just six years, John Lewis left for a new home in Liverpool ONE. The old Bon Marche building became a TK Maxx, while the original George Henry Lee building was taken over by Rapid Hardware. Last Autumn, Mr Gee said contractors were “standing by” to strip out the building upon approval being granted, with 200 jobs to be supported during the construction phase.

A further 150 roles could be created upon completion, he said. The agent said Mama Shelter - who signed a deal to bring the brand to the city in June - would bring “fun, sassiness, I’ve heard sexiness said” with facilities “not just for rich guests.” Councillors unanimously agreed to back the plans when put to a vote. The ECHO contacted Antony Batty & Company, Accor Hotels and Roman Summer for comment.? Read more

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