I am sometimes asked by the millions of loving readers of the other LPT blog, “Wayne, who is Charles, who follows you around the internet, defending you so fiercely and echoing your opinions with such uncanny similarity?”
Well, usually I tell people that they are obviously mad and in league with developers, the city council and the heritage mafia if they dare to doubt me, but here is the truth: Charles and I have known each other for many, many years.
You might be able to tell - from our shared mastery of the English language, tactful debating skills, and refusal to indulge in mud-slinging, name-calling and the other childishnesses that characterise everyone else - that we were in the same school, but in fact we were also in the same class, and sat at the same desk. We also wore the same clothes, because Charles is my imaginary friend. I turn to him whenever people are foolish enough to criticise or question me, and sure enough, within minutes he has logged onto the internet and put the doubters to shame.
Sometimes I let him out on his own, especially when something has been published in a newspaper or on a website that for some reason has stopped allowing me to contribute. He is very useful in giving my amazing egocentric rants the veneer of authenticity, though fortunately nobody (yet) has bothered to check the address he writes his letters from, as they might find that he shares with some interesting characters.
So to salute this noble individual, here are some of Charles Korsham’s greatest hits:
http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3092319
Charles Korsham 27 July, 2007
Well Mr Skemptons got a little bee under his bottom I think. Mr Skempton is one of those new age Liverpudlians who have decsended upon the city to take part in its regeneration of late, who say Liverpool people are its best asset then ignore them, being eployed to drive through developers schemes. This is financialy a job for him where as us the people that live here want to be proud of our city and leave the same proudness for our children. He says that before describing Peel or Grosvener as meglomaniacs, Mr Colquhoun should examine his own motives. I was present when Mr Skempton was employed by Grosvener to speak at a planning committeee meeting in favour of the Cesar Pelli building which has destroyed Chavasse park creating one of the worst blends of new and old that is imaginable in modern day Liverpool. This being in the world heritage buffer zone and 30 yards from the Pier Head the cental core of the world heritage site. This is to create a block of yet more empty apartments on a park which was named after Captain Noel Chavasse VC and bar one of the most heroic people of the 20th century. Is this what he calls blending old and new by bright new proposals, well if so you can keep your bright new proposals. Mr Skempton argued on behalf of Grosvener that 17 storeys of modern constuction of boring and bland desighn on Chavasse park would be better than 12 which was the original masterplan. This of course makes more money for them. The beautiful view of the Pier head you feature in your pictures sums it all up stretched across those historic world heritage views are to be 3 monstrous black granite nightmares and a museum of Liverpol life that ICOMOS say is out of keeping for a world heritage site. Is this what he means by best of both worlds well if so he is in another universe to people who I speak to. When Liverpol people as Mr Skempton says are our best asset start to be allowed tohave thier say we the people will get a level playing field because we have got nothing financialy to gain but everything aestheticly to lose.
http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=426&storycode=3109271
Charles Korsham 20 March, 2008
The picture above shows a pair of properties which have been on the councils at risk register for 6 years, yes 6 years. From the above picture it does not really show that this is directly in front of Liverpools municipal buildings where the council leader and the chief exectives for the past 10 years have watched it decay on thier way to work. The next block down we have just lost an equivelent destroyed Georgian property chainballed by a "cosy" council developer in the world heritage site. Round the corner in no 6 Sir Thomas street another facade was wrecked by Iliad another "cosy" developer ahead of an english heritage inspectors visit right in front of the council leaders office. I quote " I wondered what they were doing" what a mess. We have lost 40 listed buildings in Liverpool in the last 10 years. This current council have destroyed the world heritage site. I agree this is like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. European capital of culture or European capital of property developing vultures you decide. Charles Korsham
http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3161475
Charles Korsham 9 April, 2010
I dont think WH is reading the story correct. BD do not have a problem with contemporary architecture as I dont. It is bad architecture I have a problem with. I was in Liverpools World Heritage Site at the exact view that the picture shows yesterday and it is far worse than the artists impressions in reality... there is a massive ROME MAXXI looking museum in the only gap shown in the artists impression. Artists impressions are meant to persuade the public it would be a good idea, so imagine just how bad it looks. Unesco should hang their heads in shame for allowing English Heritage to get away with this as government advisors. Born in Liverpool I feel abused by the architectural trash that the planning authority have allowed to be built on my beloved and Iconic waterfront. It is a case of the Emperor is wearing no clothes. Bad architecture is bad..... no matter how much you try to defend it you cant. THIS IS VANDALISM and the Government publication serves to rub salt into the wounds to what is now an ugly scar. Charles Korsham
http://www.propertyweek.com/comments.asp?storycode=3113292#ixzz0m30CEeOD
Charles Korsham 11:37 16.05.08
I make a prediction that this monstrous mess created by Grosvenor on Chavasse park, which is part of the world heritge site buffer zone, is going to win outright this year's BD carbuncle cup. They promiused us world class architecture, a Cesar Pelli, and have delivered us a Caesar Salad, a monumental mess that Grosvenor should be ashamed of and I have to live with the utter embarrasment of it for the rest of my life. Ugg boots to Ugg architecture. Charles Korsham
http://www.propertyweek.com/comments.asp?storycode=3124164#ixzz0m30tw6RC
Charles Korsham 11:24 03.10.08
That is an interesting picture above taken from within the Liverpool 1 "Grosvenor-pool". What it does not show is the relationship that the Pelli Clark Pelli construction affords to the world heritage site. It evaporates it to a level of architecture that does not look at ease with the iconic and world famous three graces in fact it destroys the harmony. This is the world heritage buffer zone imagine the outrage if they built this next to the Sphinx. Is Liverpool not aware of its prestigious title of Mercantile and Maritime city. How they were allowed to do this by English Heritage is beyond me especially as the masterplan stated that a 12 storey building was to be built here and they built 17. On the site of Chavasse park now 30 foot in the air to accomodate a money spinning car park was one of the most hated buildings of Liverpool Steers House. If any-one had of asked me they would build something worse than that prefabricated 6 storey building I would not have believed it. It has been done. And its 12 storeys higher and when you stroll through the Albert dock there it is popping its ugly mundane head up like a chimney. This park is now a quarter of its former land mass and has been grabbed from the site of the original Steers dock one of the first dock systems in the world. "The Pool" at the heart of this once proud citys heritage and the site of the now long gone Customs house demolished to give people employment after the second world war. Why does this city allow such boring and bland architecture to destroy its world heritage. No amount of hype is going to convince me anything other than this is architectural disaster. Charles Korsham
Here's a really good one from the Liverpool Echo, in which Charles recommends the excellent Christmas decorations which happen to be in the same arcade as my shop. I don't sell "classy Xmas cards" I'm afraid, but thanks for the thought, Charles!
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7971/is_2006_Dec_19/ai_n34429269/?tag=content;col1
Charles Korsham, L18
IT is so wonderful to see the owners of one of our finest pieces of architectural heritage, India buildings, putting up such a wonderful display for Xmas.
Five 10ft Xmas trees all beautifully decorated and trailing through the middle of the long arcade is even more glorious than last year.
It is a pleasure just to walk through the sumptuous Holts arcade with its barrel-vaulted ceiling and its travertine marble at the best of times but it now feels like it is lifted right from a classy Xmas card.
If all owners of our heritage were as proud as those at India Buildings and decorated their buildings half as well, we would all have a merry Christmas.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7971/is_2006_Sept_20/ai_n34385788/
Byline: Charles Korsham
I READ with disgust the back-handed stab at Wayne Colquhoun (ECHO, Sept 13).
At least he stands up to be counted and puts in the time and effort re quired to bring results.
I was at the planning meeting of December 20 where he eloquently outlined to the planning committee the full guidelines of the inscription of Liverpool Mercantile and Maritime city to the World Heritage listing.
To satisfy the inscription we as a city gave legally binding undertakings and he warned all present what would happen if we broke their rules.
All those rules have been broken with current proposals and pending applications, which is why Unesco has condemned the current set proposals for our, the people's, Pier Head.
If we did not have people like him who firstly understood what a World Heritage site is and how to uphold its principles, this city would be much poorer and I for one applaud his stealth and determined effort along with all those dedicated to the same cause at the Liverpool Preservation Trust to stop the ruination of the waterfront.
Charles Korsham, L18
No comments:
Post a Comment