This is from the 'Piloti' column in the latest issue of Private Eye.

The absence of any follow up posts to this proves how blasé the public are regarding the dreadful decline of their once great town.

Only just seen this, sorry. My opinion might not be valid, but I do understand that The Woodside Hotel was bought by a member of Mersey Partnership. I think that was the last owner.

With so many buildings left standing in Birkenhead for whatever reason, I imagine the buildings such as Birkenhead Town Hall, are waiting for something and in the meantime rotting away. Disgraceful. The New Brighton Ferry/ pier was also another great structure left to rot, and then burnt down. Surely the public aren't so stupid, but it's too late after the event.

Plus......

Looking at the planning application for car park was on for a temporary 4 yr basis as the area, while futher preparations for detailed planning are made in respect of the master plan.

I assume the land the car park is on, is still privately owned ?

http://www.wirral.gov.uk/planning/Docs/DMZfiles/2860_2.pdf

Don't think New Brighton pier ever burnt down Granny. Blown up and demolished but not burnt.

That article is so true. This Council should be totally ashamed for the state of our Borough. Government cuts don't help but there is a massive amount of waste and corruption (allegedly) at the town hall.

Having said that, a lot of people don't give a toss about their own environment. I thought it was ironic that during the world cup, "patriotic" residents had flags flying etc yet their streets were covered in litter. If your country means so much then why cover it in crap?

It's only Wirral, the council is only waiting for it's dreams to be realised when the gold falls from all those Wirral Waters skyscrapers, while hanging onto these dreams no doubt after taxing cars with higher car-parking charges is waiting for that other pot of gold, taxing out of town supermarkets, but ducking the real responsibility that they have created, the problems Wirral is in, by trying to keep by taxing the hard won assets of ordinary people out of Birkenhead and Liscard by making people pay for over the top parking charges, while new Birkenhead (Croft Centre Bromborough)is busy busy busy, so councillors won't need to get of their behinds they just get the government to make people pay more tax, to pour down the drain on whatever pet project screws up the roads in Wirral with more traffic lights and road safety excuses, which is pushing people to go to other towns and out of town area's for the cheaper parking and shopping while Wirral's real gems are falling apart and getting destroyed by neglect because the town council hates it's people having the freedom to move about by car.

The council has sold off the Professional Excellence Centre on Acre Lane, and demolition was scheduled to commence last week. Some of the services that ran out of there are relocating to BTH.

Gibson house is another example.Thats been neglected for years now.

The buildings are bought by developers, then mysteriously 'go on fire' and then have 'luxury apartments' built on them. Some are left to decay into such a level of decrepit-ness that they have to be knocked down as they are so dangerous. And then have luxury apartments built on them.

Birkenhead is a mostly embarrassing mess thanks to WBC councillors, and their being in the pockets of businessmen and property developers. I used to go down to Woodside to park and look out, but has now been barricaded off as a pay and display so you can't park. Thanks.

There is nothing to say about the article - except it has hit the architectural nail on the head.