Talkin' 'bout regeneration

I've lived in and around Liverpool for 25 years now and over that time it's changed immensely - almost all for the better I think it would be fair to say. A stack of money has been poured into city centre regeneration - European funding, all manner of central government schemes, action zones and housing market renewal initiatives etc etc - and the European Capital of Culture status in 2008 helped a lot too in the end despite some false starts and wobbles. The Garden Festival site - Michael Heseltine's post Toxteth riots 'legacy' - will even be reopening in a few weeks for the first time in way too many years. But... there's still lots to do particularly away from the city centre where the money and the initiatives haven't been quite as evident or as sustainable. And now the cuts are beginning to bite everywhere again.

Here's a picture which illustrates how swanky new apartments sit cheek by jowl with derelict buildings, all overseen by St John's Beacon or the Radio City Tower as it is now known. There was once a revolving restaurant at the top of the tower but these days it hosts radio studios and still provides a spectacular panoramic view of the city if you ever have the chance to go up and have a gander!