A Waterfront Weekend

The magnificent Gormley's feature on the latest 'Waterfront Weekend' from Mersey Waterfront - it's worth having a read - http://www.waterfrontweekends.com.

Local blogger comments.....

Doug, a blogger at crosbyseabank left us the following.....

The Iron Men have worked really well & the level of interaction from locals & visitors alike has been fantastic.I'm local and I say KEEP THEM!!

As I said in my blog

And on the topic of the beach, Cowblog says it all in his support of The Iron Men - I couldn't agree more. Once more, the cult of mediocrity has ruled.The jet skiers have won - on the few times I've seen them on that part of the beach (before Iron men), it was they, the jet skiers who were the hazard to other beach users so I'd suggest they put their own house in order before bleating.This art installation has given a unique vibrancy to this semi-industrial beach, they work well & there's plenty of alternative space for other water front users. So how about a bit of common sense from Sefton Council?Ah, I've just answered my own question haven't I..?

http://crosbyseabank.blogspot.com/2006/06/upto-his-knees-in-it.html

http://crosbyseabank.blogspot.com/2006/11/any-old-iron.html

Off to sign the petition now.

super-8 good day

here's a great super-8 film of the gormley guys....
enjoy.

Letter published in Crosby Herald

I've just heard about the Sefton Planning Committee's decision to bring 'Another Place' to an end and I wanted to write and share my dismay at what I consider to be a very short-sighted decision.

Four out of five people across Merseyside think the statues are fantastic. They have brought in hundreds of thousands of visitors. They have transformed Crosby beach and have generated a good deal of revenue for local businesses. Vitally, they also set the scene for a much anticipated Capital of Culture. They have put Crosby on the map.

I fundamentally believe that the benefits of the artwork outweigh any concerns raised by bird watchers, jet-skiers or health and safety bodies, and I am certain that I am not alone in this view.

Steve Connor

Love those Gormleys... here are some piccies from my last visit. Mesmeric...

this beach what I live on....

While hundreds of people have been backing the Liverpool Daily Post's campaign to keep the Another Place men at Crosby, their neighbours in Morecambe seem to have a case of Not-In-My-Backyard. The Post reported yesterday that Lancashire County Council had wanted to move the statues north to Morecambe Bay in the event that they had to leave Crosby, but that councillors have now been told that local people would rather see 100 Eric Morecambe statues in the bay - presumably copies of the existing statue of Ernie Wise's flatmate which stands on the seafront. If only Antony Gormley had thought of that......

Click here to see the story in the Liverpool Daily Post.

ironing out the problems

Well, it's still all go with Another Place. Our woman on the ground at the Mersey waterfront reports that they have received hundreds of phonecalls and emails asking about the statues, and how to visit them. Which is something that CJ is also planning to do.....

CJ said....
I've just been watching Coast and seen these fantastic statues for the first time (I'm ashamed to say!) - however I am on the other side of the country so have somewhat of an excuse!!I was just in the throws of planning a trip to Crosby to see these and the red squirrels and am dismayed to read that they may be disappearing.I hope the council keep them as I think they look fantastic.
8.34pm

Another visitor has posted a comment here....

Anonymous said...
I visited the statues a few weeks ago with the primary aim to take photo's before they are removed. I found them to be surreal, intriguing and very moving. I was so pleased to have such a good photo opportunity. I hope they do stay longer, especially now public awareness has been aroused. I'm sure due to the publicity it will encourage more visitor's to the city, and that can only be a positive aspect for the city.

comment

Another comment left this weekend............

I visited the statues a few weeks ago with the primary aim to take photo's before they are removed. I found them to be surreal, intriguing and very moving. I was so pleased to have such a good photo opportunity. I hope they do stay longer, especially now public awareness has been aroused. I'm sure due to the publicity it will encourage more visitor's to the city, and that can only be a positive aspect for the city.

comment

Another comment left this weekend............

I visited the statues a few weeks ago with the primary aim to take photo's before they are removed. I found them to be surreal, intriguing and very moving. I was so pleased to have such a good photo opportunity. I hope they do stay longer, especially now public awareness has been aroused. I'm sure due to the publicity it will encourage more visitor's to the city, and that can only be a positive aspect for the city.

sign the petition.....

An online petition in support of keeping Another Place on Crosby Beach has been launched....
CLICK HERE to sign it and leave your thoughts.

keeping their heads above water...for now

The future looks a little less uncertain for Another Place today, after Sefton Council announced that it will look into resolving the issues that led the planning committee to reject the planning application earlier in the week.

The news that the statues were to be removed at the end of October has caused a huge response from both the media and individuals both in Merseyside and around the world, lobbying to save the installation.

Antony Gormley himself has backed the idea of the men remaining at Crosby indefinitely, while the Liverpool Daily Post’s online poll currently stands at 91.15% in favour of the statues staying. The paper is running its own campaign to save Another Place, aiming to recruit a regiment of 100 notable supporters to help. Local girl Cherie Booth, Lloyd Grossman and Gormley himself have already signed up.

An appeal against the planning committee’s decision will now be launched, and should take about three months to be processed. The statues will stay where they are in the meantime. By then, the statues won't be able to be removed because of the winter tides, so they're likely to be at Crosby until March.

Another Place could also get a £1m boost from the government funding body, Northern Way. The money has been offered to secure the future of the installation, on condition that planning permission is obtained by the end of 2007, and that the remaining funds needed can be secured.

The iron men are standing firm for now, but what will the future hold? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment here.......

Do we need to chain ourselves to our chosen iron man just yet?

Keep the pressure on

... a comment was made to me earlier that this may galvanise the vocal majority to make themselves heard this time - well I had no idea that Another Place was in jeopardy until the crazed planning decision was made. Let's not assume everyone knows the statues are in jeopardy and let's keep the pressure on.

stay of execution

Yesterday it was announced that Sefton Council would not enforce the removal of the iron men on Halloween, but would allow them to stay whilst an appeal is processed. More details later...