It’s the spiritual home of English pop. The birthplace of the Beatles. European Capital of Culture 2008.
A city with music flowing through its veins, with more backstreet bands and wannabe superstars per capita than anywhere in the UK.
You might be forgiven, therefore, for thinking Liverpool would be the perfect place to run a successful guitar making business.
And until recently, you would’ve been absolutely right.
But a story in this week’s Liverpool Echo suggests that council chiefs have other ideas, leaving the city’s only luthier facing the prospect of closure.
Keith Bennion fears being forced out of business if Wirral council follows through with its plans to close the Pacific Road Arts Theatre, home to his workshop, KGB Musial Instruments.
The theatre also plays host to the annual International Guitar Festival.
Bennion, whose clientele includes Echo And The Bunnymen, The Lightning Seeds, The Coral, The Kooks, and The Zutons, is widely regarded as one of the UK’s most talented and creative custom guitar makers and repairers.
“I cannot understand why Pacific Road was included in this”, said Mr. Bennion. “The closures are meant to be for buildings which are not fit for purpose, but it was only completed 10 years ago.”
“It has to be saved. Apart from the workshop, the theatre does a lot to stem the overwhelming flow of people who leave Wirral and head to Liverpool in search of entertainment.”
However, it seems certain that KGB Musical Instruments will fall foul of the council’s initiative to shut down several buildings in the area, including libraries and sports centers, and replace them with new “focal points for services”.
Whatever that means.
