Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium may be a new sporting landmark, but it’s also going to become an events landmark for the North West too. So how appropriate for Liverpool Chamber to mark its own landmark anniversary with a royal visit and the venue’s first non-sporting event.
HRH the Princess Royal joins dozens of business and civic leaders on Tuesday afternoon to hear about Merseyside’s business success stories and to unveil a plaque marking the business support group’s anniversary.
I was fortunate enough to be there to hear from Chamber and business leaders about their pride in the anniversary. And it was great to see so many people – me included – heading out into the blue bowl of the stadium itself to see what a brilliant venue the Everton team has created.
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Now 175 is perhaps not a birthday number that rolls off the tongue. But when you put it differently – and point out that it means the Chamber was founded in 1850 – and you realise how impressive an achievement it is that the chamber is still here and still thriving.
As metro mayor Steve Rotheram pointed out, Britain in 1850 was a very different place. There was no association football, for a start, to mention just one of many things on the anniversary agenda that would have bemused the dignitaries of 1850.
Some things would be at least a little familiar though. American Express was founded in 1850. And for fans of business exhibitions – if you're reading this, you're probably one of them – Great Britain's first purpose-built exhibition hall was opened at Bingley Hall, in Birmingham.
In Liverpool, traders had nine years earlier formed the Liverpool Cotton Brokers' Association to help regulate the industry. That group is still in Liverpool, now called the International Cotton Association, and was represented at the Chamber event.
Some of the predecessor institutions to Liverpool John Moores University were also up and running, with the Mechanics' School of Art starting in 1825. LJMU was also represented at the Chamber celebration.
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And of course, Liverpool in 1850 was a thriving legal centre. Edward Morrall founded his law practice in Liverpool in 1810 – that business would go on to become Hill Dickinson, the global la firm whose name is now emblazoned across Everton’s new stadium.
The event was held in the Yard, the events space that Everton says “captures the idea of a formal meeting space” at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. If we hadn’t been told, we wouldn't have guessed it was the first event of its kind at the venue – with its great views out over the Mersey and with good food and drink from its enthusiastic and attentive team, it felt like it was already a key hub in Liverpool’s events market.
As we looked out over the Mersey, I spoke to several guests about how the stadium should help transform north Liverpool, and the formerly quiet stretch between what was Bramley Moore Dock and the city centre.
Chamber CEO Paul Cherpeau, who led the celebrations, said from the stage that the stadium was “more than a home for football – it’s a catalyst for transformation”. He noted that the anniversary event was the first large non-sporting event at the venue.
As for the Chamber itself, Paul vowed it would continue to lobby for “positive change” and that it wanted to be a “trusted and authentic partner for business”. And Mayor Rotheram said the anniversary was a “statement of confidence in the next 175 years”.
One thread of conversation throughout the day was that this is a tough time for all businesses, from those in hospitality right through to Chambers themselves.
So it was extremely encouraging to see Liverpool Chamber being ambitious for its long-term future, and for the future of the local economy. The business leaders of 1850 would never have predicted what their organisation’s 175th anniversary party would look like – who knows what the chamber’s party will look like in the year 2200?