Sunday, January 13, 2008

CAPITAL OF CULTURE PARTY NIGHT: THE ROGUES GALLERY

BOTH former chief executives of the Liverpool Culture Company turned up on Saturday night for the Albert Dock party after the Arena show.


The 'off-sick' Jason Harborow arrived with an apparent retinue of supporters, including ex-Granada boss Sue Woodward and the woman pictured in our exclusive photo.


And Sir Diddy Henshaw was also present in the queue outside the Albert Dock with his wife Alison - although he appears to have turned tail and run for it, shortly after being spotted by our photographer.


Which was lucky for him, because according to reliable declarations from a string of enthusiastic volunteers, Henshaw would have ended up in the dock himself within minutes.The little man ducked and dived in the queue to avoid his photograph being taken and pretended to engage Professor Michael Parkinson in conversation as Lady Henshaw looked on anxiously.


Our spies then collected at the dock entrance, where Pete Price was interviewing random C list celebrities for telly, ready to give Henshaw an early bath.


Only to be left waiting, while Henshaw disappeared sharpish back to North Wales to count his money.



Still there's always a next time.

Between them, the two failed chief execs have trousered more than £600,000 of council taxpayer's money in the run-up to Liverpool, Capital of Culture 2008. Neither paid for their tickets to the Arena - their freebies were authorised by CoverUp.


But spare a thought for poor Jason.


He is in complete denial and appears to think he will be back in charge of CoC Up within weeks.


He went around the Albert Dock professing to anyone who would listen that he was 'fighting fit' and boasting of how much much he had contributed to the Arena show.

As someone remarked - "he might be physically fit, but it sounds as though he's gone a bit doo-lally".


The blog was well represented (purely on the grounds of reporting accuracy, you understand, eds)


Front line staff from the Culture Company were not invited to the piss-up - two free drinks and as much nosh as you could eat - but CoverUp was there, along with a myriad of 'senior' city council boring bureacrats and the usual Lib Dem councillors (so not much of a 'do' then? eds)


The Fireman stomped around, leaving his missus trailing, with a face like thunder (as well he might, according to tales from the fire engine room. Of which more follows soon, eds)


But there was no obvious sign of the Storeyteller.

However, as another spectator remarked: "He must be here if Bradley is here - there's no Punch without Judy".


Acting CoC chief executive, Donald Bullshitter was creeping up to Steve Broomhead from the NWDA, while Henshaw's former £500 a day personal spin 'matron' Alison Hastings, wife of Museums boss David Fleming, spent most of the evening constantly looking over her shoulder.


(Perhaps she was worried that Henshaw might need further attention? eds)


Other interesting snippets:
  • That PR bloke, Ben Lucas, from LLM, who trousered £323,000 for doing bugger all, was also loitering around some of the politicians looking for the next money-grabbing opportunity.
  • The great and the good had apparently been treated to a slap up meal before the show at the Malmaison as part of of a CoC Civic event. Labour leader Joe Anderson was not present.
  • A mate of Our Lord's, a bloke called Carl, who used to work with Redmond at Mersey TV, was given responsibility for organising the event. We don't know who gave him the go-ahead or why, or even if the event organisation was put out to tender.

And we have no idea how much it cost.
But we were reliably infomed it was in the region of £80,000.
And who paid?
Why you did of course.....!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like Redmond (our Saviour) is taking the lead from Harbarrow boy in creating jobs for his mates

Anonymous said...

Storyteller is probably masterminding a comeback as the Lib Dems are going to hang Bradley for the embaressment his buffonery has caused them

Tori Blare said...

It is truely a disgrace that the staff who have been behind the scenes doing as they are told and having to bear the brunt of the mess Jason and Co created, were not given free tickets to enjoy the benefits their hard work!

Anonymous said...

We all thought that Storeyteller was bad until we got the Fickless Fireman .

Now we'd welcome the Storeyteller back with open arms mind you come to think of it Marbrow would be better too!

Anonymous said...

Thats got to be without the Cuban heels

Anonymous said...

Marbrow must lament losing out on the freebie meal at the Malmaison.

Anonymous said...

Its amazing the way they can just spend what it takes to make stuff happen now and sort the mess out later.

Tori Blare said...

Tonies, I am utterly GOB SMACKED at your wanting Storeyteller back!
Mr Parrish will be hanging his head in shame!!!
NONE OF THEM ARE GOOD ENOUGH FOR LIVERPOOL
Chuck them all in the mersey.

Who is talking to diddy in the last photo?

Tony Parrish47 said...

Not ours, some other Tonies - Lib Dem ones we suspect.

Anonymous said...

The person being accosted by the evil little one is Professor Michael Parkinson (not the chat show host)

Anonymous said...

What's he off sick with anyway?

WANKERS CRAMP?