Any Liverpudlian worth their salt will wax lyrical on their beloved city’s ability to rebuild itself, from the docks’ decimation and subsequent unemployment to the Toxteth riots. Liverpool used to be synonymous with decline. But not any more!
Thanks to the foresight of Maggie Thatcher’s environment minister Michael Heseltine, rather than be left to decline further various measures were put in place to transform it into the vibrant city you see today. The development of a now thriving tourist industry was critical to the success of Liverpool’s rejuvenation.
With Boris Johnson now pledging to deliver a ‘levelling up’ agenda to revive struggling communities and return them to prosperity, Liverpool is a shining example of how successful this can be if done well.
Liverpool’s 3,000 manufacturers contribute £3.2 billion to the UK economy and employ 50,000 workers. In 2018, 38 million tourists enjoyed Liverpool’s museums, art galleries and restaurants. It’s not then surprising that Liverpool’s remarkable resilience could now provide valuable lessons to similar communities across the UK.
You can read more about this on the Financial Times (paywall).
