Today in the Daily Post, Professor Phil Redmond writes that the building work currently taking place across the city centre may present a unique background for new works of public art. He says:

“Could the miles and miles of traffic cones and building site hoardings be transformed from miserable irritants to, well, forms of potential blank canvases?

“Why not allow artists, schools or communities to adopt hoardings and turn them into civic collages or murals?”

What a good idea! Why shoudln’t the future European Capital of Culture take this opportunity to express itself creatively on such a public stage? If we have to walk and drive past vast expanses of boards surrounding one building site after another, let’s at least have something nice to look at.

Liverpool is home to a veritable army of artists and designers. The work could potentially be of a very high standard. Zones could be created for different projects - design-led work in the rope walks, community or school paintings in tourist hot-spots, intricate graffiti artists’ work just about anywhere.

Is the city missing a trick here? Perhaps the Culture Company should take Professor Redmond’s advice…

Peter Jones Manager of the Chamber’s Business Crime Direct Team was interviewed on Radio Merseyside’s drive time business slot. He talked about the Action Against Business Crime Awards where the Chamber’s partnership working and success of Pub Watch scheme were commended. He also discussed the Chamber’s support for the new city centre Business Improvement District.

Listen to the interview here [MP3, 3MB]

Find out more about BCD’s success at the awards in this Chamber news story.

Businesses across Merseyside are invited to take part in Liverpool Chamber’s survey on Work / Life Balance in the workplace.

This survey looks at what working hours, leave entitlements, flexible working options and staff benefits are offered to employees.

As we’ve already mentioned on the Chamber Blog, flexible working and the home/life balance is becoming more important, both to employees and employers. Allowing staff to work in ways that more suit them increases productivity and aides staff retention.

Now we need your input to tell us how this issue affects your business. To fill in the survey (it will only take a couple of minutes) visit the Mersey Economy website and go to the ‘Surveys’ page.

If you want to find out more about flexible working, BT are holding a symposium on the topic on March 27. More details can be found here.