City to shed new light on its image in 2008; Night time tours of lit up landmarks planned.Byline: By CATHERINE JONES Catherine Jones is an English television news journalist, currently a reporter and presenter on Five. Born on 12th January 1971 and brought up in Essex, Jones started her professional career in the newsroom of Buckinghamshire based local radio station Mix 96 in 1994. Culture Reporter DAZZLING new lighting schemes with the "wow" factor and a week-long illumination festival could bathe Liverpool in light during Capital of Culture. Night-time tours of the city's lit up landmarks, making it a round-the-clock tourist attraction Noun 1. tourist attraction - a characteristic that attracts tourists attractive feature, magnet, attractor, attracter, attraction - a characteristic that provides pleasure and attracts; "flowers are an attractor for bees" , are also being discussed. More than 60 buildings have been illuminated as part of the City Centre Lighting programme since 2005. They include the cathedrals, Three Graces, museums, St George's Hall and Liverpool town hall The Liverpool Town Hall is built in a striking style of architecture. Designed by John Wood, the Elder, the first stone of the building was laid in 1749, and the hall was opened in 1754. It is still in use today by Liverpool City Council. . Liverpool Vision, which is working with the city council on the initiative, says the new lighting generates an estimated pounds 3.2m extra spending in the city centre each year. The latest phase has seen 31 buildings, many in the business district and Castle Street and Dale Street, lit up. Speaking at an event last night to celebrate the achievement, council chief executive Colin Hilton said discussions were now ongoing to develop a series of events around the lighting schemes. These include night-time tours of the city centre, a lighting festival in 2008, and a small number of what he described as "very high impact schemes which will capture the public imagination." Mr Hilton added: "Liverpool has over recent years delivered a level of feature lighting improvements beyond that of any other UK city." Ian McCarthy, Liverpool Vision programme director, said: "There won't be any more major phases, it will be much bigger impact single schemes, about three of them. These are in the concept design stage. "We're trying to go for the real wow factor. They won't be subtle architectural lighting, they will be specific lighting schemes." He pointed to the innovative lighting on landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower Eiffel Tower, structure designed by A. G. Eiffel and erected in the Champ-de-Mars for the Paris exposition of 1889. The tower is 984 ft (300 m) high and consists of an iron framework supported on four masonry piers, from which rise four columns uniting to form one in Paris, and the Spinnaker tower The Spinnaker Tower is a m ( ft)-high tower situated in Portsmouth, United Kingdom. The tower is the centrepiece of the redevelopment of Portsmouth Harbour, which was supported by a large National Lottery grant. in Portsmouth, which glows with a full spectrum of colour, as what could be achieved. Mr McCarthy said: "The lighting significantly improved the quality and appearance of the city centre, and we're beginning to see more investment, visitors and economic activity as a result. "It's been particularly pleasing to have so many building owners and businesses keen to get involved after the success of the first phase programme." catherinejones@liverpoolecho.co.uk CAPTION(S): BRIGHT IDEA: St George's Hall lit up as part of the programme; LIGHTS ON: St Luke's church, above, illuminated and a building in Hanover Street |
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