Firms to fund first ‘cop shop’

THE country’s ‘s first privately funded city centre police station is to open in Liverpool in the New Year.

In a pioneering move, commerical property company Land Securities will provice a fully fitted base to Merseyside Police, which won’t cost the force a penny.

Rent for the base at the St Johns Sjopping Centre will be paid for the next three years by the businesses who are members of Liverpool’s City Central Business Improvement District.

The move will save taxpayers approximately £50,000 a year.

Ged Gibbons, Chief Execuitve of City Central BID, which represents 630 businesses across 49 acres of Liverpool city centre, said the so-called ‘cop shop’ underlined what can be achieved when public and private sector work together.

“Liverpool already has a 99% daytime safety approval rating which shows just how hard how everyone is working to make the city a pleasurable place to visit, shop and work but there is always room for improvement.

“Having a direct point of access with the police has been a missing piece in the jigsaw and we’re delighted to help rectify this and further improve the appeal of Liverpool city centre.”

Cllr Anne O’Byrne, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for community safety, said: “I applaud Land Securities and City Central BID for supporting our police in a way which will serve as a shining example to the rest of the country during these harsh times for the public sector.”

Ian Ward, Land Securities’ centre director for St Johns Shopping Centre, said: “We have been working in partnership with the police and the City Central BID team for around six months on this project so we are delighted to finally be able to announce the opening of the new access point in St Johns early next year.

“Land Securities has agreed to provide the police with a fully fitted-out unit where visitors to the City will be able to have access to this additional public service right in the heart of the City Centre.”