by
Simon Austin
Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson has revealed that the city will not be either the new national HQ or creative hub for Channel 4.
At the end of May, Liverpool was one of seven cities/ regions that made it to the second round of pitching to be the broadcaster’s new HQ. It was also in the running to become the broadcaster’s creative hub, alongside an additional six cities.
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However, Anderson today tweeted: “Sorry to announce Liverpool has not been shortlisted for C4 relocation or Hub. A huge thank you everyone who supported the bid.
“Sad to be told a big problem was Liverpool not being connected transport wise. Exactly why not getting HS2 link is wrong and shortsighted.”
The latter point alludes to the fact that High-Speed 2, which is due to open in phases between 2026 and 2033, will link London with Leeds and Manchester (which are both shortlisted for the Channel 4 HQ and hub) but NOT with Liverpool.
Sorry to announce Liverpool has not been shortlisted for C4 relocation or Hub. A huge thank you everyone who supported the bid👏 sad to be told a big problem was Liverpool not being connected transport wise. Exactly why not getting HS2 link is wrong😡and shortsighted.
— Joe Anderson (@joeando58) July 23, 2018
Prolific North has contacted Channel 4 to try and get a response to Anderson’s comments, but received no reply.
After the shortlist was announced by Channel 4 in May, the next step was presentations and Q&As by each of the cities before a final decision in October.
Channel 4 announced its ‘4 All the UK’ plan in March 2018 – a strategy for the broadcaster to serve the whole of the UK. It was described as the biggest change to the structure of the organisation in its 35-year history.
The broadcaster is moving to a ‘multi-site operating model’, establishing a new national HQ and two new smaller creative hubs in the Nations & Regions in 2019.
When this strategy is fully implemented, 300 Channel 4 jobs will be based in the Nations and Regions and the intention is to grow this even further over time.
