bye bye big top

By Catherine Jones on Feb 13, 07 03:56 PM

I come back from a few days away and discover the city council has pulled the plug on the Summer Pops.
The row over subsidies had rumbled on for so long I suppose I thought we would end up with the usual status quo - and probably Francis Rossi into the bargain.

I can understand the council's reluctance to keep throwing money from the public purse at the event, particularly as it faces some tough decisions on spending elsewhere.
But the Summer Pops is part of Liverpool's rich fabric of festivals and with the very impressive but ultimately pretty soulless Kings Dock arena due to take over proceedings as of next year, 2007 would have been a last hurrah for the Big Top.
I must admit I've grown emotionally attached to the tent - there is something warm and fuzzy about going to see a band there; it has its own unique atmosphere. Roger Daltry no less revealed this week that he was apprehensive when The Who played two nights there last summer, but the Big Top and the Liverpool reception won him over.
However, today there's a glimmer of hope as we heard that there may be a rescue attempt, either by current promoters CMP or by one of the rival bids to run the event.
The main problem, apart from the little issue of funding, is a venue.
Central Docks hasn't been ideal over the last two years, but it is preferable to a park like Sefton where there are residents living all around. I for one wouldn't fancy having a rock concert going on outside my window every night for a month.
I remain hopeful a solution can be found in time and come July we'll be dancing in our seats once more