Downtown Liverpool | Blog

It was with sadness, if not much surprise, that I heard the news of Lewis’ closure. The legendary Liverpool department store will be closing its doors after over 100 years of trading, with the loss of around 300 jobs.

Every Scouser has a tale to tell about the grand old retail outfit. For my part, it was the first place where I visited Santa’s Grotto. Sir Paul McCartney once worked there, John Lennon is said to have met his first wife Cynthia outside Lewis’ for their first date, no doubt underneath the statue that is ‘exceedingly bare.’

The Liverpool One development, along with the soon to be constructed Central Village scheme has, of course, contributed to Lewis’ demise. However, long before the modernisation of Liverpool city centre, Lewis’ was in difficulty, and has almost closed on at least two previous occasions during the recent past.

As with traditional names such as Woolworths and Ethel Austen, Lewis’ has failed to renew and re invent itself as a relevant retail offering for the twenty first century shopper. Discussing this with Aurora Media boss Jon Egan he amusingly, though it has to be conceded accurately, compared Lewis’ to Grace Brothers, the store from sitcom ‘Are You Being Served?’

Historical? Yes. Quaint? Yes. Fit for purpose in 2010?

As with all businesses, particularly in a sector as harsh as retail, you cannot survive on reputation and past glories alone.

Maybe that is something our city’s two football clubs need to remember before dismissing so readily, if reports in the local media this week are to be believed, the idea of a shared stadia.

Neither Liverpool nor Everton have anywhere near the resources required to build a stadium on their own. Why then such vehement opposition to even exploring the possibility of a shared home?

And for all of you died in the wool Blues and Reds who say they would rather see Torres and Arteta in a Manchester City shirt than share a ground with their rivals think on this.

Figures revealed this week that Match day revenues for Manchester United are £108.8m compared to £42.5m at Liverpool. Everton will be some way below that again. It is now a combined twenty years since either Merseyside club won a major honour (Liverpool may yet win the Europa League this season, but does anyone care). There is a very real possibility that Liverpool will fail to qualify for the Champions League for the first time. Everton’s hopes of any European competition next term look remote.

I repeat. As with all businesses, you cannot survive on reputation and past glories alone.