Liscard Hall destroyed by Fire

[corky100]

Looks like the Hall is going to be demolished after a major fire destroyed the roof and completely gutted the interior. Whether they can save the Frontage I don't know, but they have started to demolish the sides and inside, as it appears to be structurally unsound.

Although I do know a lot about whats going on behind the scenes with this building, I can't divulge it. Its a real shame. Especially when you hear the scallies watching this shout 'Hurry up pull it down Laa, its a waste of space anyway'.

Hmm, and they aren't?? ******s.

Famous inhabitants associated include Andy McCluskey of OMD, Who attended when it was the former Art College.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1910.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1920.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1927.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1801.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1802.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1824.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1834.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1842.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1856.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1860.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1868.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1885.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1899.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1905.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/tn_DSCF1929.jpg

I don't know how it'll look tomorrow, I'll take more then.....

[Cadfael]

So they've managed to suddenly secure a full team of demolision experts and decided that it's so unsafe that it has to be pulled?

Screams of an inside job this does. No sooner than it's fire damaged than it's an excuse to pull it down.

What happened to a full investigation or would this have got in the way of the new proposed houses???

[Kev]

what a sad site

[PhilipG]

So they've managed to suddenly secure a full team of demolision experts and decided that it's so unsafe that it has to be pulled?

Screams of an inside job this does. No sooner than it's fire damaged than it's an excuse to pull it down.

What happened to a full investigation or would this have got in the way of the new proposed houses???

Couldn't have put it better myself.
The haste can only be described as obscene.

Thanks for the photos, Corky.

[corky100]

9pm tonight. Unfortunately.

Another Iconic peice of the past destroyed by its future.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/DSCF1953-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/DSCF1957-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/DSCF1958-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/DSCF1965-1.jpg

[AntiPathos]

Shocking.

[taffy]

Let's hope the now closed St John's Church next door to Liscard House is not also a target for the vandals. The church was also built by the same Tobin family that built Liscard House. Their wealth having come from slave trading.

[corky100]

There have been a lot of fires recently.... The three in Birkenhead Last weekend down Chester Road, the Woodside Hotel, Several Sheds in the allotment at the rear of Central Park, and the sheds in Central park itself.

Says a lot that the Church and the accompanying Hall will see the same security that Liscard Hall did until tonight. And we are worried about the Prefab that belongs to a charity nearby too....

Whatever started this fire, Its the beginning of a lot of debate here.

[PhilipG]

I wonder if in the future it will be on a guided tour.
"And this was the site of Liscard Hall".

On another thread I've been criticised for pointing out that a particular guided tour in Southport consists of almost nothing but: "And on this site was .................".
Including 2 demolished Listed Buildings. :PDT_Piratz_26:

It's as if the present tourist industry doesn't care that these irreplacable buildings have been demolished, but somehow want to bask in the "reflected glory" that the buildings "haven't been forgotten".
It makes me so angry.

Corky.
Again, thanks so much for your photos.
Let's hope that they will make at least some of the people who can do something about protecting our heritage get their act together and punish these criminals, which is what they are.

[Cadfael]

It's nothing short of a bloody joke.

Don't the City Council do anything? You only have to look at what happened in West Derby.

Sandfield Tower, empty for a number of years, a fine Grade II listed building, fire damaged throughout and only standing because it was built so well.

Kiln Hey, used to be a nursing home at one point and as soon as that closed, that was fire damaged too.

Both properties have extensive land and would sell for a pretty penny.

But to have a building fire damaged one day and then pulled down the next is nothing short of a crime. Whoever wanted this building down, managed to cover up the fire that well that they knew it would be demolished the next day - it's almost like to order.

If you had any evidence at all, you'd be straight to Plod to present your case.

[wallasey]

Corky...you just missed me! I was around there at that time too! If you saw a individual with a Iceland bag...twas me. Your motion image of bricks coming away from the building reminds me of some of the images the likes of Ainscough got back in the 60's. Great timing used there!

I was shocked when I heard it had gone. Was unaware to what was going on untill the Wallasey News (a day late as ever was) came through the door. So I rushed down there and snapped these...

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/tranmererusko/2008_07100262.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/tranmererusko/2008_07100263.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/tranmererusko/2008_07100264.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/tranmererusko/2008_07100266.jpg

Coincidentally, the Wallasey News puts blame towards Wirral Council for ever letting Liscard Hall getting into this state. It closed in 2003 with attacks taking place on a regular basis. The Council have said that they will put the plot of land "to good use"....when ever a council says this, you have to wonder what their definition of "good use" actually is!

What is sad to know is that developers were going to move in next month to rejuvenate the hall. Seems they wont be needed for the time being!

[Ged]

That last pic in particular is a pile of rubbish.

[brian daley]

Some years ago ,down here in Solihull, a national builder pulled down a grade one listed hall and put up a block of flats. It was done so quickly that most people thought that was that. Solihull council went to the High Court and won an action that forced the builder to pull down his abomination and restore the hall to the original drawings, Should you find yourself on the A34 driving toward the M42 near Solihull,you might notice a rather grand hotel designed in the Palladian manner. That is the peoples revenge against shyster builders.
BrianD

[Kev]

A HUNT has begun for arsonists after an investigation revealed a Merseyside listed mansion was set on fire deliberately. Read (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/07/15/arsonists-in-frame-for-fire-100252-21341886/)

:PDT_Xtremez_42:

[corky100]

Its a real shame, I know Diane Ledder well, and I can say she and the other Park committee members are extremely upset by this, not to mention the majority of Liscard residents.

There has been a surge of scallies round the area the last twelve months, and they simply hide in the park when challenged or hear a siren.
I saw at one point last week a patrol car leaving the park, and a bunch of them standing on top of the fencing and postbox at the junction of martins Lane, while they gestured to the Police car (as they do).

As to be expected, the patrol simply ignored them and drove off. Seems the police simply don't acknowledge them anymore. No wonder stuff like this happens. I'm not suggesting scallies did this (god forbid I upset anyone...:Colorz_Grey_PDT_16:)

Didn't the Wirral recieve a very large sum of money to combat Antisocial behaviour and disperse gangs on street corners? Or is climbing on Postboxes gesturing at the Police not antisocial anymore, and acceptable? Maybe I should try it myself and find out...

[corky100]

Heres a quiz. What was here.........:sad:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/corky100/IMG_0143a.jpg

[ChrisGeorge]

What a sad story. Thanks for the pics and info everyone.

Chris

[naked lilac]

Sounds Corky, like some community forum needs to be formed to address the police issue NOT caring..? What good are they, if they just turn their backs on trouble makers?

That is scarey to see youth (scallies), destroying wonderful structures.. Can the School Boards address the issue? Or your local council address the police..

We have some groups of neighborhood people that form here.. (few at a time)..They go on neighborhood walks and report disruption if they see it going on..drug dealings, vandalism..etc.. The police have equipped them with radio phones to help combat the issues.. But, sad, to think... families don't know what their KIDS are up to.

Seems like life always repeats itself.. always will be that illiterate gang type personality in some.. Hopefully someone will try and address the issues in your area.. Sad story...
ps.. Maybe the legislature can make a law for the consequances of these youth...

[corky100]

Its a good idea Lilac, but unfortunately, and I've experienced the same elsewhere) but I do find that once the complaining has settled than the apathy creeps in once people are asked to do something. Its just so easy to sit back and complain, then do nothing.

I did just that a few years ago elsewhere, and started one of the first private residents groups in the country, and got enormous help from the local council (though I know it helps their star rating, it being one of the top 5 most deprived areas in the country at the time) but thats there to take advantage of, and we did.

Getting pople involved is another matter. There is a lott of going it alone, then people who think they can do better and make life hard for you through spite jealousy and downright self importance.

In the end, I just handed everything over to them, and walked away.

JobI do now doesn't allow me to be involved politically, and this is too close for comfort for me to get involved with, but 100% a good idea.

The park now gets those regular patrols, but sadly, token gestures are no use to anyone. Until (if scallies are to blame as suggested) that problem is tackled PROPERLY, instead of throwing money as rewards at them, and protecting their delicate feelings at the expense of TAX SLAVES and their rights and feelings, it will only get worse here. The government really need to re-think what human rights actually are, and come to their senses before they let the fuse burn just that one second too long....

That fuse is already far too uncomfortably close to igniting..

[naked lilac]

I understand your concerns fully.. Best of luck out there Corky.. People do deserve to live peacefully.. ta for sharing..