otherwise they would have stolen everything.

Reminds me of the joke,

Why is the Airport named after John Lennon

Becasue it's the 1st place he when when he got some money

Hoes into hiding

to even think of making a topiary in the first place.

Oh well, I guess they can just wait for it to grow up a bit then trim it into shape - or maybe attempt to graft a bit on.

Flames, because this would have been worse.

As someone once said - the only thing cultured in Liverpool is mould.

Having grown up there I have to agree, and no I don't miss anything either.

Funny how the only thing they can think of is the Beatles.

The job of any Scouser of note is to leave the city and travel the world informing the rest of us what a fantastic place it is, without ever actually going back to live there.

What was Ringo thinking?

"2008 European Capital of Culture"

I hope all those who criticise American culture are blushing.

...I thought we wanted the public to get more involved with art?

Well, this is vandalism as an artform. It makes a statement in the way even the celebrated criminal damage of Banksy doesn't.

Good on them.

I left there when I was fifteen and now, in my seventieth year apart from family visits, I have had no desire to ever return. It may be God's country if you've never lived outside the city, but once you have it kills any desire to return.

Paris? Even she would have more sense.

Perhaps the lopping was the work of the military wing of the Thomas the Tank fan club ... rhyming slang has never been the same since Ringo added "having a Thomas" to the language.

On second thoughts, the TTTFC militia would probably have chopped off the hands; so it's probably just typically droll scallywag high-jinks.

.....this particular station is on the arse end of liverpool, where all the dregs from anfield, everton and other shitholes drip down to.

And i wouldn't miss anything from here myself.

If Liverpool were covered by 2 metres of rubbish and everyone there tripled their weight and every second shop turned itself into a greaseburger joint it'd still be a more cultural place than any of the benighted settlements in the failed former colony of torture fans and morons.

Why to see how sophisticated and cultured they are just note that they're not just gawping or looking, they're "analysing" the cctv footage,

I found Liverpool quite inspirational when I visited a couple of months ago.

Sometimes when you grow up somewhere you get so used to something you don't see it.

I grew up in Bath, and do find it hard to appreciate what's there.

Live in Cardiff now. Anywhere's what you make of it.

Not sure I could live in Hull however...I had first hand experience of the mould

there, and that was one of their hotels.

Visiting somewhere is not the same as living there. It would be more accurate to say that Liverpool has several cultures - it has a culture where if anyone does anything different than anyone else, that instantly makes them a target. It has a culture of silence with regard to crime (see poor Rhys who was shot and killed - people will know who shot him but nobody talks.) They don't talk because of the culture of violence and harassment.

See also the poor guy who was killed in a park for the heinous crime of 'being black', but that goes with the 'attack anything different' culture.

Oh and if you did well at school in Liverpool you will no doubt be familiar with the wonderful culture of bullying.

As someone who was born and lived in Anfield for over 25 years, I agree with The Man - I don't miss Liverpool one bit. Last time I was there it was filthy, grey and depressing. Breck Road and Priory Road looked like Beirut, while most of Kensington looked like it was being phased out, perhaps to make way for something interesting. There were bits of smashed up pallets and nappies and carrier bags strewn in gutters.

Remember when Boris Johnson made his comments about Scousers' "mawkish sentimentality" and Liverpool reacted as it knows best - get all outraged at the perceived attack on "our wonderful city", completely proving his point in the process. What happened to that Scouse sense of humour then?

The people have a morbid fascination with self-pity and feeling victims, the Liverpool Echo picks up on any such opportunity. My father (who still lives there) believes this stems from Liverpool being so insular and bounded by the Mersey, and I guess there might be something in that which leads to city-wide introspection. It feels like a lead weight every time I'm there, a dirty, suffocating air of smug misery.

As for the Ringo-styled shrub, well there's just another example of outraged Scousers venting their self-pity as only they know how - self-destruction.

No, as you can probably tell I don't miss the place at all.

Analysing the CCTV footage? So they are taking it apart and giving it a guy with a lab coat, petri dish and a pippette? So they are just going to watch as a "hoodie" does the deed???

Always makes me laugh at the comment of city of culture, all I see is red brick buildings boarded up, road works and dereliction when I drive through.

> If Liverpool were covered by 2 metres of rubbish and everyone there

> tripled their weight and every second shop turned itself into a

> greaseburger joint

then would the rest of use be able to tell the difference?

It is bollocks, all of it.

Liverpool celebration:

'Around the city in 80 Pints'

The MTV Music Awards

And for those who require a more elevated tone there is always, and I quote, "Gustav Klimt will be bringing the bling..."

That last one would have had me choking on my 'greaseburger'* if it was a bit later in the day.

*actually it would have been a Tim Horton's Doughnut as I'm in Canada.

Poor Britain. Where have the glory days gone?

Don't like Liverpool?

Fuck off then.

Don't miss living there?

Fuck off too.

Why would we want stinking people like you lot cluttering up our streets? I love my city and I'm proud to come from Liverpool. If others are glad they've left then bully for you. Since the city is undergoing such a massive transformation and program of improvement I can only conclude that all that's been possible now we've gotten rid of shite like you.

Liverpool was given the Capital of Culture trinket for the same reason Sudan, Nepal and Saudi Arabia were given seats on the UN Human Rights Commission and Libya was given the chair. It's a statement of aspiration - or should that be desperation - not of recognition.

Do you think Venetians and Parisians mope around all day going "Well we may have beautiful art and architecture, but unless the EU recognises us we might as well be living in Swindon"? Course not. So giving them awards is pointless. The Capital of Culture is like the "Special Effort" or "Team Spirit" prize at school.

I, too, worked there for a while.

I, too, left and never went back.

What did I miss? Drunkeness, whingeing self-pity, the ugly city centre, the appalling whining accent, muggings, vandalism*, endemic theft, urban decay, litter, violent pubs, the obsession with football, having my car nicked (twice) ...

Liverpool, city of culture? An oxymoron, surely?

* see topiary Fab Four

I visited there a couple of years ago. My mum's a big Beatles fan so we went there for a long week-end and had a good time. The Radio City tower is appalling, but there is some amazing architecture there.

There are examples of crime, vandalism and and chavs all over this country. Not just Liverpool. It's not even especially prevalent in Liverpool (apart from the chavs, I'll grant you that)

If you're going to denounce somewhere/ something, find something you can point to and say "This doesn't happen anywhere else" otherwise it's just city-ism

FWIW, I grew up in Liverpool, and currently don't live there (I left for uni, and found a job where I now live). I grew up a geek, did well at school, had some minor bullying problems and have not escaped completely unscathed crimewise. I like to think I'm intelligent and rational enough to realise that would happen anywhere in this country. And I still like going home.

Last time I went to Liverpool it immediately made me want to stay in my old home town.. .. which is Belfast ( and that's saying something)

Oi, wash your mouth out - Swindon is a lovely place! In comparison.

Been to Venice - it was OK. They wouldn't let me ride my motorbike around though. Been many times to Paris - would be better at half the price.

Mutter grumble mutter grumble

Tim Horton's rocks.... I would be proud and extremely fat to have one of them on every corner of Manchester!! :)

As it happens, we have some Krispy Kreme's around here now, although it is still pretty tasty! :)

"Hoes into hiding"?

I'm sure they'd have used shears, it would have taken ages with a hoe...

I'm sure noone can really say it's the worst place in the world, but "City of Culture" is just laughable.

People should have been tipped off that the "City of Culture" badge is not what it might seem after Glasgow had it?...

Paris, coz she is more cultured.

Been in Liverpool all my life, scouser born and bred. I hate (HATE) the pathetic scouse sentimentality. I cannot even bring myself to listen to the local radio stations that are saturated with it. And, for the record, nobody laughs more at the Capital of Culture moniker than the Liverpudlians themselves. Although the city has a far richer and greater history than most other British cities, for sure. You probably don't know that. Educate yourselves.

Then I wonder what it is that attracts such hatred for a particular city. It's definitely there, just read the comments above. Why IS Liverpool targeted like that? An interesting past social experiment - at Hillsborough the Sun claimed that scousers were "pissing on, and stealing from, the still warm bodies of the dead.". Not the actions of one person, not even just a few people, but scousers in general, were pissing on and stealing from dead bodies.

Now then, the only reason that headline ran was because of PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELVES. Because, like the attitude of virtually all of the posters here, people would simply believe it as true, based on what they thought and expected of Liverpudlians. This is the mentality we see all the time unfortunately. Your comments prove that easily. And I'm sickened to see that this bullshit continues and is even present here on the Reg.

Your prejudices and social stereotyping makes me sick. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Crime is no different than any other big city. It's what happens when large populations inhabit small areas. In that regard, records show other English cities to be far worse than Liverpool.

@CHRIS: feel free to highlight this as proof from a true "Cretinous, self-absorbed mutant"... "getting outraged at the attack on 'his wonderful city'". None of this post counts at all. Scousers do not qualify for the civil liberty of defending themselves.

Phoenix50 Quote: "Since the city is undergoing such a massive transformation and program of improvement I can only conclude that all that's been possible now we've gotten rid of shite like you."

Does that include the chopping off of Ringos head? is that part of the improvement?

TBH its the same everywhere we all have opinions of places. So what if they don't like the place, by insulting them in the way you have is almost proving their point.

Mine's the waterproof mac as i'm giving a talk at the TTTFC tonight...

Hi Dave, I'm confused because on the one hand you agree with the sentiments, then you become outraged and typically self-pitying (in your final sentence). I've travelled around all over the place and of course all cities have problems, but in Liverpool there seems to be an implied right to feel that way, "cos we're hard done by", "people don't get us", "united in our grief" and so on. The decline in areas around Anfield, Everton and Kensington is apalling, and it's more and more blatant every few months I visit there. There are worse cities for sure, but that doesn't change anything.

So there are no stereotypes or prejudices going on here. I take everywhere as I find it, and Liverpool is not a place I want to hang around any more. I feel dragged down and depressed every time I go there, by the state of the decline and the wallowing attitudes of the inhabitants, reading the Echo to find out what it is they're supposed to be outraged over - or pitied for - this week.

Travelling for several years is highly recommended, just to open your eyes and put Liverpool in perspective.

And here I am thinking people were just having a bit of fun. Would expect the same in return if you knew my city (though of course none of it would be true!).

@Phoenix50

Oh how I miss the abusive derogatory language and aggressive needlessly confrontational manner.

I, like many posting here, was 'born and bred' in Liverpool. Grew up in Stoneycroft, went to the Blue Coat (the original school building is the oldest building in the city center) in Wavertree, attended Liverpool University. Right now, I live in metro Atlanta, moved here 5 years ago.

I have travelled extensively, worked in many cities, from London, to SF, and Liverpool's no worse than most. If anything, I've felt more threatened walking around Atlanta, than around Liverpool. My first trip stateside, I got lost, and ended up going around Compton, did remind me a bit of parts of Manchester.

Do I miss Liverpool? Certainly. Will I go back? yep, although to be frank, it's hard to match georgia weather - whilst I miss wandering down Church Street and Lord Street going Christmas shopping, being able to do it in a t-shirt and shorts is nice too.

It's quite true that the city has culture most don't know of, too. Liverpool celebrated it's 800th birthday as a city recently, but people dismiss it as if it popped up in the last 200 years and 'its a bit grim'. Stereotypes revisited time and again, with turged shows like The Royle Family making everyone think they're like that (and whilst in reality Ralf Little is like that, he's from Bury). Not all Scottsmen (or even Glaswegians) are Rab's or Jamesie's. People in London (or even just Hammersmith) are like Edward Hitler and Richard Richard. Reading isn't filled with deranged lunatics trialing the latest government identity scheme, and thinking it turns them into the Borg.

We all know this, and take it for granted, until it comes to Liverpool. For some reason, common sense seems to go out the window. However, 20-30 years of this has left many, including those who have known nothing but this attitude, to start believing it's true. In that respect, the rest of the UK is creating that which they decry.

For what it's worth, i've been the victim of more thefts in Blackpool than Liverpool (including 3 times in one weekend) been beaten up more times in Leeds (once) than Liverpool (none). I had my car stolen once in liverpool (recovered byt he police the same day) but I've had my doors bent open in a number of cities, and the biggest crook I ever delt with, was in Burton-on-Trent (and that made Watchdog)

No place is without it's problems, but Liverpool's is no more than average.

...above the average:

http://www.upmystreet.com/local/police-crime/figures/l/Liverpool.html

I'm sure there's posts on here based on prejudice instead of fact but to be honest that's what The Reg is about nowadays.. Pick some Corporation/Organisation and Demonise it's every move (the facebook hack attempt for example).

Get over it.

I lived in Liverpool for a few years as a post graduate, and I have to say: there are good things are there are bad things.

Liverpudlians are, as stated above, totally intolerant of criticism and perpetually whining about how put upon they are. The topiary assassin is pretty typical, they'd much rather bang the drum than take a look at their city and think "Why would Ringo say that".

This is weird, because there's a lot of great stuff. I found it a great place to live. It has a vibrant arts and music scene, the housing is all new and the rent is chicken feed. The architecture is hit and miss, but mostly hit. You can score free booze on any night of the week at some art gallery or another, and the youngsters (in strong contrast to the older generation) have a great attitude of aspiration.

The sad thing is, nobody stays for long, because there are no long-term prospects. Those with all the life go off to some other city, and those with none stick around and whine. That's probably where the problem lies.

Scousers know the meaning of culture?

Dey doo do don't dey?

Hmmm

I did have a comment to make, but I've forgotten it now as I'm 3/4 of the way through a bottle of "Cellar Estates Dry White".

Instead a little anecdote of sorts.

About 15 years ago I had a little wager with some friends of mine, for kudos not money. I bet them that I could leave a £10 pound note on my passenger seat, in the middle of liverpool, with the doors unlocked and it would be there when I got back.

Sure enough, that night I parked up outside "Level 4 Quasar Arena" on Mount Pleasant (Street? I can't remember if it was Street or Avenue or Grove) and left a nice crisp 10 pound note on the passenger seat and left the doors unlocked at 7:30pm (I remember the time cos I had a scheduled district Quasar match).

After midnight I got back to the car and found the £10 note still there untouched, much to the surprise of my teammates.

To this day I still believe that Liverpudleans are the most honest-to-god people to walk this green earth.

As long as you are driving a C reg Skoda 1.3 Estelle :p

AC: I live in Belfast now having come from Cambridge and realising how bloody miserable Belfast is compared to where I was brought up, but even so on the occasions I've been in liverpool it's mad Belfast look like heaven.

BUT, I base this on the city, not on the people. I think it's a horrible city, but the people I don't know well enough to make an opinion, apparently unlike most commenters here

Dave: A well written rebuttal, and good job for doing it. Unfortunately, it only takes a few to build a bad reputation for a place. Case in point: not all Northern Irish are bombers, and English poeple aren't shot on site, but after 4 years here I am still asked how often I get attacked (the answer being not once in 4 years).

@jaowan - good old Level4 - not a bad place, although i prefered the one in the aintree superbowl

@ac quoting stats

Did you check out Manchester's then? smaller city (people don't realise Manchester's smaller) and oh dear oh dear, As bad as Liverpool is, Manchester's almost as bad again.

http://www.upmystreet.com/local/police-crime/figures/l/manchester.html

LOL

I did not know Ringo wore a wig. I am glad they took it off, he would look better without that beard as well.

I once worked with a bloke from Liverpool, name of George. One of the old school, not one of yer modern limp type, he did not want to go back either, lived in Epsom if you please.

And I would not want to go back to Manchester either. It's not that the place is scruffy (some parts are) but it is lawless compared to the place I left 20 years ago. Just impossible to live there.

...that someone could look at a Beatles topiary and know which one was Ringo.

Well, I think they mustn't have had anything better to do to go and vandalise the statue, but does Ringo deserve a statue in Liverpool if he's no interest left in the place whatsoever?

Also, I've never been to Liverpool but I have found that your enjoyment or hatred of a place of residence depends far more on the company you keep and your state of mind than your surroundings. For this reason I hated Paris and Kensington, and love East Berlin and Hounslow.

Different Paris - who can feel anything but love for THIS Paris?

lets get this straight...i left liverpool and i miss liverpool. only reason i left is for a job. i visit on a regular basis.

you people speak clearly like you've never been. its an amazing city but has a bad reputation. its turned like every other capital city, i.e u get the scallys and u get the skate boarders exactly like manchester / london etc etc.

London is 10000x worse than liverpool, u get white kids talking as if they have lived in jamica for 45years.

Liverpool is the only city in the world, where u can go and visit bars,clubs and meet great people who treat each other like your friends for years. yes, you will see some trouble..exactly like every town in the world.

Ringo made his millions from "liverpool", to visit liverpool and do a gig for insane amounts of cash and 5mins later go on international TV and abuse the city is uncalled for.

i think the fact they cut his head off without destorying all of it, shows how angry liverpool is with ringo and tbh, we don't want him back

Can you get the Krispy Kremes hot out of the the fryer over there?

So it matters where your mum was lying down when she gave birth to you? Why? Have you nothing else to be proud of? Have you done anything with your life? Helped anyone? Made the world a better place, perhaps?

Nope, thought so.

I was brought up there, I had an educated accent from my parents and got attacked by the whining kids with the words "you're a snob". Soon learned to say the f-word every other word and speak like I needed to spit all the time. Although that has got worse, the accent was definitely gentler when I was a kid.

Still live in the area, across the river in Birkenhead. I like living there, it's quiet and still has all of the advantages of a suburban life. But we tend not to whine.

Was the statue wearing a large ruby ring and painted red?

Mine's the psychedelic-colored marching band jacket.

just trying to work out whether it would have improved his technique in a live situarion? I've been blown up by a pyro, stabbed by a bass string and hit by flying glass, but never contemplated having my head cut off. Maybe one day . . . .

Cue the hordes of Drummer Jokes . . . .!!!

Mines the one with the large metronome in the inside pocket.