I have always been told that Liverpudlians are friendly people. I went there for a conference this weekend. But nobody told me how inaccessible or dirty it is.
I think the city is in renovation to get ready for being the
European city next year. If they are really wanting to be an European cultural city, I think they have a lot to catch up. I've been to quite a few European cities and just going in that city centre for one Saturday evening is enough to convince me that Liverpool is really litter strewn. AND it is inaccessible - there were not many dips or ramps, I was going on the road and was incredulous when I arrived at my supposedly accessible hotel to find that I could not get in.
I went all around this hotel, The Liner Hotel, next to Lime Street Station, and there was this step with no ramp into the hotel. I was not very happy. It was not a cheap room. The bathroom was not exactly accessible neither although it was big enough. It did not have a roll in shower.
It had a bath! The next morning the general manager apologised personally to me and said that it was quite an old building, they were renovating it but their access auditor never mentioned the pavement to them. I am a trifle puzzled as to why he did not spot that immediately.
None of the restaurants in Liverpool's Chinatown looks accessible. I am glad I do not live there, i would be so frustrated.
However, it was worth it to see an old friend from undergraduate days, Mark and his wife, Wendy, and we had a lovely dinner at the Mei Mei restaurant on Berry Street. The waitress was delightful with her suggestions (although I am not so keen on the prawns with mayonnaise), service was good and we had free oranges and dessert at the end.
p/s
Pamela, whom I met in Liverpool, offered me this photo to show some of the road barriers in Liverpool.
In case, its not clear here because of the photo size, the railing takes up half of the space where a wheelchair can descend to street level.
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