Case Study - Liverpool

AQA A-Level Geography - Changing Places

What were Liverpool’s previous historical ‘identities’ 18th - 20th centuries?

• 19th century - dominated by commerce → mid 20th century - commerce and culture dominant → 21st century - led by culture

• By 1800s - One of the biggest ports due to the slave trade and cotton industry

• 1960s & 70s → suffered due to industrialisation - when UK joined EU the ports were on the wrong side of the country

What were the reasons for the regeneration of Liverpool?

• By 1980s - 2nd most deprived local authority area in England - 75% of the city’s neighbourhoods being in the 10% most deprived areas

• Poor national image - very poor - e.g. ‘Boys from the Blackstuff’ pained a picture of unemployment & despair

What was the approach to regeneration in the 1980s?

• Merseyside Development Corporation (MDC) - AIM: to regenerate and improve the image - e.g. the docklands area party using EU funding

• opened as a tourist destination 1988 - including the Maritime Museum and the Beatles Story Museum

• MDC CRITICISMS:

  • Created over 700,000m² of non-housing development

  • 22,000 new jobs created but 50,000 had been lost 1981-91

What was the 21st century regeneration and rebranding?

• Cultural: largely focused on arts, music, sport alongside waterfront regeneration and city centre living

  • 2008 - gained European Capital of Culture - generated over £800mil in 2008 alone

• Retail/Leisure: Liverpool arena, new hotels, retail outlets, riverside apartments, offices, 1600 space car park, Shopping centre

• History: tourist opportunities to learn about the history of the area

• Work with stakeholders in the public secor such as Liverpool City Council and in the private sector such as J.P.Morgan and Barclays wealth management