Honours for controversial councillors, a spotlight on one of our favourite restaurants, and the closure of Colomendy holiday camp
Your weekly roundup
Dear readers — Shannon here. If today’s gloomy weather has got you down, we highly recommend checking out the master list we published yesterday of all the food festivals, film screenings, concerts, exhibitions and more that we’re most excited for this year. Putting it together with the team helped me get out of the winter funk I always fall into right after the holidays. Turns out, there are so many great things to look forward to.
The Post
Think we missed anything? Feel free to flag any omissions in the comments; we’ll be updating the post with any reader suggestions.
On with today’s edition. Our big story is about the council’s decision to nominate two controversial former councillors for Honorary Alderman, and our new Monday mini-feature is dedicated to one our very favourite restaurants in town: the Michelin-listed Belzan. Pro tip: if you’re on a budget but fancy a special night out, we highly recommend the early-evening prix-fixe menu (two Courses for £25 or 3 courses and a glass of wine for £35).
Editor’s note: This is usually the time when we’ll ask those of you on our free list whether you’ll consider subscribing to a paid membership to fund more of our journalism. If you have the means, then please do so – it helps us tremendously. But a full subscription isn’t the only way to help us keep the lights on at Post HQ. Why not consider sharing this post with a friend and encouraging them to sign up? We’re levelling up both our free and paid content this year, and we want to reach more people in the city who might not yet have heard of us and what we’re all about. We’d very much appreciate your help in spreading the word.
The big story: Why is the council planning to award two councillors who resigned under a cloud of controversy?
Top line: Malcolm Kennedy and Abdul Qadir resigned from Liverpool City Council after dragging it into disrepute. Now, that same council is proposing to award both Honorary Alderman status.
The context: Aldermen and Alderwomen are former councillors specially selected for the selfless work they do on behalf of the city and its residents. So more than a few eyebrows were raised over the weekend when an extraordinary meeting summons revealed that Liverpool City Council were nominating Malcolm Kennedy and Abdul Qadir to this honoured position.
Malcolm Kennedy began representing the Kirkdale ward in 1998. He also served as the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, and as a cabinet member for regeneration. In 2021, it emerged that he’d been living in Spain for much of the past year.
In February 2021, Liverpool City Council confirmed that Kennedy, who had been attending council meetings online, had not broken any rules. In a series of now-deleted posts on Twitter, now the social networking site X, Kennedy defended himself, claiming that he’d travelled to Spain in March 2020 to celebrate his wife's son's birthday and that his return had been delayed by the Covid crisis.
The pandemic did not, however, impede Kennedy’s travel plans later that year: he said he briefly came back to the UK in October 2020, before heading back to Spain to celebrate Christmas. He also confirmed that he’d been dividing his time between Spain and the UK since 2001. By the time he stepped down from the council in October 2021, he’d been residing in Spain full time for 17 months.
In a statement released on X, the Liverpool Community Independents Group noted their objection to Kennedy’s proposed Alderman status, claiming that he also “had a major role in the failed refurbishment of St John’s Market which would eventually lead to its closure”, which The Post reported on last year.
In the past, Kennedy has robustly defended his record. When The Post’s David Lloyd suggested to Kennedy that all had not been well with the city’s markets during his tenure as member for regeneration in 2016, Mr Kennedy called Lloyd “a pussy”. Their contentious exchange in 2022 ended with Mr Kennedy saying, “Oh, sod off, you’re talking crap,” before he slammed the phone down.
Abdul Qadir represented the Picton ward of Wavertree from 2011. In May 2022, he was appointed to then-Mayor Joanne Anderson's cabinet as member for neighbourhoods. But by August, he had already resigned from that position after he was linked to a large development scheme that had stalled in Vauxhall.
An investigation by the Echo connected Mr Qadir to the Liverpool-based Vega Group, which owns MV Canal, the subsidiary company behind the scheme. Qadir had been a director of Vega Group company Vega Trading since September 2014.
Qadir had also been part of a taskforce investigating fractional sales, where buyers put down large deposits to finance off-plan apartment schemes, which had attracted controversy after several such projects fell through.
Qadir claimed at the time that his role with Vega did not conflict with his council and cabinet responsibilities and maintained he had done nothing wrong. However, following the revelation of his Vega connections, which led to his resignation, he also did not seek re-election as a councillor in the May 2023 all out elections.
A council spokesperson told The Post: “The process is that political groups are invited to nominate former Lord Mayors or former Councillors with over 10 years in office to be recommended as Honorary Aldermen or Alderwomen. These nominations must be determined by the City Council in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972. The Council must determine whether the individual has in the opinion of the authority, rendered eminent services to Liverpool.”
Bottom line: Responding to both former councillors’ pending Alderman status, the Liverpool Community Independents Group continued in their online statement: “We believe conferring an honour when there are significant question marks over a councillor’s conduct is wrong and brings such an award into disrepute.”
“The title of Honorary Alderman is supposed to mean something,” Carl Cashman, leader of the Liverpool Liberal Democrats and opposition leader on the council, tells The Post. “It’s a high honour of the city and it shouldn’t just go to anyone.”
“There are some names on the list that have represented the city in fine fashion and fully deserve that recognition,” Cashman continues, citing former councillor Barbara Mace as an example. “Unfortunately, there are some names there that I can’t support as a matter of principle.” Those people have been “heavily involved in the troubles of the past and, in my view, brought the Council into disrepute,” Cashman concluded.
When reached for comment, a Liverpool City Council spokesperson said: “The process is that political groups are invited to nominate former Lord Mayors or former Councillors with over 10 years in office to be recommended as Honorary Aldermen or Alderwomen. These nominations must be determined by the City Council in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972. The Council must determine whether the individual has in the opinion of the authority, rendered eminent services to Liverpool.”
Photo of the week
A 2024 Guardian feature on postwar photographer Bert Hardy sent us down a rabbit hole of Hardy’s extraordinary work. This particular shot was one of our favourites: a family of West Indian immigrants outside their home with one of their white neighbours in Liverpool on 2nd July 1949.
Got a suggestion for next week’s photo? Have you taken any shots around the city you’d be up for sharing with our audience? Please drop us a line: editor@livpost.co.uk.
Your Post briefing
Members of the council are being encouraged to accept a proposal that would increase their pay by 27%, the Echo reports. An independent panel dedicated to assessing the city council’s allowance recommended rises in 2022, 2023 and 2024, which councillors rejected. Members of the independent panel have now again recommended the pay bump, which would increase councillors' allowances to a minimum of £13,500, be adopted when they meet later this week. The Labour member for Kirkdale, Cllr Joe Hanson, praised the proposals, claiming it will help with councillor retention, but the Liverpool Community Independents Group announced they will be voting against the proposed pay rise, arguing that the allowances aren’t a wage but are meant in part to cover expenses related to case work. They point out that the council has also “become a byword for bad governance and debt” over the past few years.
18-year-old Axel Rudakabana goes on trial today for the murder of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last summer. He denies being behind the killings, as well as other charges, including possessing terrorist material. The Home Secretary has said the whole country will be thinking of the families of the murdered girls this week, reports the BBC.
And in news that will bring childhood memories flooding back for many readers, Colomendy holiday camp is to close with immediate effect. Kingswood, the company that owns and operates Colomendy, announced over the weekend that they have gone into administration. Three of Kingswood’s former centres have been acquired by PGL Travel, but Colomendy is one of seven across the country that hasn’t and will have to close. The site in North Wales near Mold was a rite of passage for many Liverpool children, whose schools sent them to the camp in their hundreds each year for more than seven decades.
Broadcaster Nick Garnett posted on X: “A sniff of sadness for all those Liverpool children like me who thought going to school camp at Colomendy was the biggest adventure ever.” Liverpool Council issued a 30-year lease for the site to Kingswood in 2007, and the Liverpool Liberal Democrats have accused Kingswood of neglecting the site since 2021, now demanding that the council works to reopen the site as a children’s facility.
Fifteen minutes with… Belzan
Abi headed down to Belzan, Smithdown Road’s very own Michelin guide restaurant, for a quickfire Q&A with their general manager, Dave Sergison.
Can you give us a brief rundown of the history of Belzan?
“Belzan started off in 2017 with three friends — our owners Chris, Owain and Sam. Chris and Owain had a little bar called Filter and Fox in town, but they had a dream to one day open a restaurant together. Sam was one of their customers at Filter and Fox, and they got chatting, put their brains together and then Belzan was born about three years later!”
How would you describe the style of cuisine at Belzan for our readers yet to visit?
“It's an eclectic menu, so when people say what's the cuisine? We haven't really got one answer. I’d say it's focused primarily on the changing of seasons and a lot of local produce as well, but ultimately it's about getting the most flavour out of everything — whether that’s making something magical from celeriac or a lamb chop, it’s really creative. It’s all sharing plates too — we think sharing is caring here — so you get a chance to try a big range of flavours and cuisines when you’re here.”
Now for the hard part. Can you recommend to our readers two of your favourite plates?
“One of my favourites, I'd say at the moment, would be the devilled egg. The devilled egg has been on the menu since day one — it’s filled with a soy emulsion, and we have some roe and an Asian spice called takarashi on there. It's just a fantastic palette cleanser with such a sharp burst of flavour. And you have to eat it all in one go; when people pick up a fork I always tell them, ‘Put that down!’.
“Next up I’d probably have to say the Guinness rarebit potato on the menu. It’s this slow cooked, compressed potato with Guinness and cheddar rarebit sauce on top and a tomato dressing called Bois Boudran — but we call it Boss Boudran, of course, because we’re scouse! It’s always the first dish to go and it’s the most Instagrammable — I never get tired of taking it to a table.”
What about dessert? And perhaps a cocktail too?
“I would have to go for the rice pudding crème brûlée we have on at the moment. It’s a hybrid of the two desserts, and it works so well. I think it could be the next staple menu item that just does not leave! It comes with a little side of rhubarb, that's right in season now.
We’re really proud of our freezer batched cocktails. We make cocktails and then right before service slip them into the freezer at around -12°. They don’t freeze — they take on their lovely syrupy texture and we actually pour them right at the table for you. My favorite at the moment is the pear and walnut old fashioned. It's intended as a slow sip, but it never lasts long!”
What’s your favourite part of being based here on Smithdown Road?
“I absolutely wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. It’s all about the community here; everyone knows each other and it’s not territorial at all. For instance, there’s Kelly's Dispensary over the road and we're good friends with them — if people come here and their table isn’t quite ready, we’ll tell them to go over to Kelly’s for a lovely pint of Guinness. And it works both ways; while people are in Kelly’s the staff will be telling them all about the dishes we’ve got on — they’re almost doing our job for us!”
Outside of Belzan, where’s your favourite place to eat in the city?
“Is it cheating to say another one of our own? Because it’s got to be Madre on Albert Dock. It’s another small plates place that’s great for tacos and margaritas, and in the summer you can sit out in their gorgeous courtyard. For me, the best taco is the Baja fish taco – all the way!”
Is there another local business you think we should visit, or an exhibition, film or gallery opening that deserves the spotlight? Drop us an email on editor@livpost.co.uk.
Post Picks
📖On Monday, entrepreneur Simon Squibb comes to BoxPark Liverpool to celebrate his new book for a Waterstones event. Tickets here.
🍸Cocktail bar Tonight Josephine is hosting a singles-only event for under 35s this Thursday. Don’t be afraid to go alone; nearly half of past attendees have arrived solo. Tickets are 7 if you book before 8pm the night of.
🌈On Friday, one of our favourite spots in the city, Lovelocks coffee shop, is hosting a Board Gaymes night for the LGBTQ community (BYOG: bring your own games). Tickets are just £3.50.
🎷This Saturday, as well as the last Saturday of every month (how is January already nearly over?!) the Naval Club hosts a night dedicated to all things soul and Motown. Tickets here.
Recommended reads
Yesterday, the Sunday Times ran an interesting interview with Walton MP Dan Carden. Carden, a former member of the Socialist Campaign Group, is still perceived as being on the left of the party, though he spent part of the Times interview praising incoming US president Donald Trump.
Liverpool-based music website Sun-13 have released their top 50 albums of 2024, including Norther by Merseyside’s experimental rock band Ex-Easter Island Head. Norther also won album of the year in online taste-bible The Quietus. Back in May ‘24, Sun-13’s Simon Kirk conducted this excellent interview with the band, which we highly recommend.
Update: Since this edition went out, Liverpool City Council have responded to our previous request for comment. We have updated the story on the Honorary Aldermen to include the council’s statement.
