Hope is a place

HOPE Street has seen more than its fair share of Liverpool's history over the years, and after the success of last Sunday's Hope Street Festival, I've a feeling another chapter is being written.

It's a street that has seen a good many famous faces and feet tread its pavements. The Queen on several visits to one of the street's great institutions the Philharmonic Hall; a Pope (John Paul II) on his visit to the cathedrals at each end of the street; a Beatle to his old school, and a US Secretary of State and her former Foreign Secretary host.

That's not a bad A list to be going on with. Add in the numerous stars and celebrities who frequent many of the street's other attractions, and you begin to realise what a significant part of Liverpool this is undoubtedly is.

As long as I have lived and worked in Liverpool, Hope Street has been synonymous with the city's arts and cultural scenes. This obviously has a lot to do with places like the Phil and the Everyman. But increasingly, I am sure, it is about small establishments including the Unity Theatre, the street's fine and famous restaurants, the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts and Blackburne House -itself one of Liverpool's often overlooked success stories.

Also in this mix is the fact that so many of the surrounding residential properties are fine examples of Georgian splendour which have, or are being, lovingly restored. In short, it's a city centre hot spot.

That was certainly the impression given to guests and visitors at the weekend.

The street looks at its finest now that new fixtures and fittings have been installed (what town hall types refer to as public realm), and at the weekend traders, residents, musicians and artists combined to create a wonderful, cosmopolitan atmosphere at their festival.

By the end of the day, official estimates declared 10,000 people had attended. That is a significant number by anyone's standards, and one which should encourage those behind this year's event who deserve the success they worked so hard to deliver for so many.

As I strolled along Hope Street on Sunday it occurred to me that what was unfolding in front of us went a good way to symbolise the regeneration taking place across the city centre and waterfront.

It's hard to imagine it could have happened 10 years ago. Go back another decade or so and the area which hosted such a wonderful event on Sunday was more troubled still.

So, Sunday marked the re-awakening of one of the city's most historic quarters. Others will follow, and in so doing spread more prosperity and business opportunities.

As they do though, let's not forget other parts of the city where investment, economic development and regeneration have still to make their mark. Communities here must have similar opportunities.