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Published on: 12/10/2017 07:08 AMReported by: roving-eye
Cllr Barton calls for the restoration of the Angel Statues that once adorned our Retail Capital Boulevard Lord Street and enticed prospective customers and supporting the Local Retail Sector.
A campaigning councillor has called for action to return the choir of angels along Southport’s Lord Street shopping area.
Cllr David Barton says the cherubs were an internal part of the street in Victorian and Edwardian times but the cost of repairing and replacing those that have been lost or vandalised was preventing shop owners from bring the street back to former glories.
Cllr Barton, who represents Dukes Ward, has called on Sefton Council to allow replicas to be used to reduce the cost of bringing back the angels, which have an intricate lighting system contained within the torch flame.”
He said: "This unique outfitting of the exterior frontage to the shops was part of the original retailers' ambitions to further impress customers, enticing people to frequent and patronise their units during the Victorian and Edwardian times.
"Due to the high cost associated with replacing badly vandalised statues that were beyond repair I have requested the Sefton Council conservation department to look into if there is any scope to permit like-for like replicas though with a metal alloy to provide longer durability and greater uptake by property owners across the high street.
“Under strict Conservation zone parameters replicas are currently not allowed to utilise a metal alloy of stronger more resistant metal, I am requesting that Sefton Council reconsider this decision as part of the Lord Street Consultation and to allow the retailers in 21st Century Southport to be able to enjoy the same retail success enjoyed by their predecessors.”
Cllr Barton said he had originally been contacted by a local constituent back in Summer 2015 following a spate of vandalism which had led to the arm of one of the statues becoming detached, he has since however requested this be reinstated at the soonest opportunity.
He said: "The benefits of returning another piece of Southport's civic heritage are many. Besides encouraging high quality investor potential in a distinctive set of shopping premises, this would also encourage other incumbent property owners to maintain their properties well all year round, again supporting the retail economy through a welcome well-kept environment.
“Having noted some of the unique ways in which the Victorians would encourage visitors and local residents alike to purchases wares and goods from the shops I would advocate the Council provides the local business community a means of achieving similar success again by making the most of our prized unique selling point- our Victoriana, which in this case has been disappearing.
“It should be observed that this prime retail location which is highly visible from the main carriageway into and out of Southport is a key showcase of the Classic Resort town and should therefore be treated as such if the remaining vacant units are to be reoccupied with high quality unique shops and boutiques such as those seen at other prominent seaside towns."
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He's a little Cherub himself !
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Appreciate the sentiment but a few cherub statues won't suddenly give consumers more spending power.
And is he only interested in Victoriana? There's a formerly fine art deco building in Nevill Street falling to bits with the owner doing absolutely nothing about it.
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Originally Posted by
pentire
He's a little Cherub himself !
I don't know about THAT!
However you are right.... it IS a Cherub and NOT an Angel!
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Originally Posted by
Mr. Brightside
Appreciate the sentiment but a few cherub statues won't suddenly give consumers more spending power.
And is he only interested in Victoriana? There's a formerly fine art deco building in Nevill Street falling to bits with the owner doing absolutely nothing about it.
I've long been expecting a mystery fire breaking out there. Hope the residents are warned in advance.
Back to the article, when I read the title I thought it was referring to some kind of New York 'Guardian Angels' type of thing. Thought it would be a good idea at weekends, especially. Quite disappointed it means some tacky statues that nobody cares about, doesn't make an ounce of difference to shoppers and serves only to get that idiot's face in the media (yet again).
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He looks rather "Angelic" though
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Don't look away Don't blink
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Does he do anything other than stand by things to have his photo taken?
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Originally Posted by
Toodles McGinty
I've long been expecting a mystery fire breaking out there. Hope the residents are warned in advance.
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The residents will soon need to start one themselves to keep warm given the state of the windows. Considering John Ford must be receiving rent from the pub and rent from the upstairs tenants you'd think he must have some money to maintain his property.
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Cherubs are the least of Lord Street's worries. Most of the shops are empty at the north end of the street. It looks a dispiriting failure and hardly likely to attract anyone to return. Perhaps our councillors should put some effort into looking at the long-term future of the street rather than just looking back at the glory days. The quality shops aren't coming back in large numbers, ever. Retail has changed.
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I'd much rather see the odd Police Officer walking down Lord St but obviously Police now are an emergency response service. How the hell they get Intelligence, when they are not meeting with the public and C.I.D visiting pubs and clubs to glean information, I do not know. But in case Barton has forgotten we can't afford POLICE let alone statues thanks to HIS preferred political Party.
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Originally Posted by
Wittybebop
An absolute total waste of time and money if the council won't spend a bit of extra money getting Red tarmac what the chance of thousands being spent on cherubs that will get broken again.
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He's not suggesting that the council spend anything on these cherubs. Try reading the article again.
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[QUOTE=Wittybebop;6615866]
May I suggest the total cost be calculated and opt to spend it on the police forces to stop vandalism in the town.
Would be good if it worked like that. Today lots of money is spent investigating long dead people that they cannot prosecute and cannot answer back.
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Do beleaguered shop owners (thinking of closing down, due to high overheads) get a free light-up neon cherub if they decide to stay open?
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