The Downtown Podcast

Downtown in Business boss Frank McKenna chats with Michael Wolf, Founder of United Wolves Productions. In this episode Michael and Frank discuss who United Wolves Productions are, what they do, the background to the business, how they are helping other companies from across the DIB network and much more. To find out more about United Wolves Productions visit: www.unitedwolvesproductions.com

Downtown in Business boss Frank McKenna chats with Phil Mayall, Managing Director at Muse. In a short discussion, Phil tells us all about the history of Muse, their culture of placemaking, partnerships and making a difference in the communities in which they work and more. To find out more about Muse visit: museplaces.com

Downtown in Business boss Frank Mckenna chats with CEO of Avrenim Group, Simon Harris. Simon explains what Avrenim is, the net zero agenda, GB energy, how they help and advise their clients and much more. Find out more about Avrenim on their website: avrenim.co.uk

Downtown in Business boss Frank Mckenna caught up with Joanne Henney, CEO at Nugent, Simon Krol, Director at Krol Corlett Construction and James Jaycock, Insurance Broker at Butterworth Spengler to discuss what and who Nugent are. Krol Corlett and Butterworth Spengler are headline sponsors of this years Nugent Gala, taking place on 7th November 2024. You can access tickets at: https://wearenugent.org/gala/ Find out more about Nugent by visiting their website: https://wearenugent.org/

Downtown boss Frank McKenna caught up with Rob Valentine, Region Director - Birmingham & West Midlands for Bruntwood SciTech. Bruntwood SciTech is the country's leading developer of city-wide innovation ecosystems, and the largest dedicated property platform for the UK knowledge economy.  Alongside a 50-year track record in the property industry, Bruntwood SciTech bring a wealth of experience in creating and developing strategic partnerships with UK regional cities, universities and NHS Trusts.   Find out more about Bruntwood SciTech visit their website. bruntwood.co.uk/scitech/

Downtown boss Frank McKenna caught up with Ryan Etchells and Elliot Vure from Together. Ryan and Elliot share the history of Together, how they have been able to help businesses access money and what they can do for clients. Find out more about Together and how they can help you access funding on their website. togethermoney.com

Downtown boss Frank McKenna caught up with Warwick North West Managing Director, Greg Johnson. Greg shares a whistle stop history of Warwick and his rise to Managing Director, some of his challenges along the way and his vision for the future, not just for Warwick but the wider business region too. Find out more about Warwick North West on their website. www.warwicknorthwest.co.uk

As we round out 2023, the latest guest in the Downtown Den 'Leaders' series is Dave Brewitt the Owner and Chief Executive of Hope Street Hotel and Owner of Carpenter Investments. In a compelling conversation with DIB CEO Frank McKenna, Dave shares his career journey from teaching in Birkenhead to founding one of Liverpool's finest hotels, From sharing his entrepreneurial tips to plans for the future of Liverpool's accommodation sector, this is a fascinating conversation with one of Liverpool's most innovative entrepreneurs.

In this special episode of the Downtown Den podcast, Frank McKenna is joined by Gary Murray, North West Regional Manager for Crimestoppers. Crimestoppers are an independent charity that gives people the power to speak up and stop crime – 100% anonymously. In this interview Gary tells us what Crimestoppers is, how it works and why. Links Website: crimestoppers-uk.org

Downtown in Business is fortunate to work in partnership with some of the very best businesses across the country. We wanted to give you the opportunity of getting to know them a bit better, and we have recorded a series of conversations in the Downtown Den with the personalities behind the brands. In this episode DIB Director, Chris McKenna chats Denise & Hazel Walker for Glenville Walker. Densie and Hazel tells Chris everything you need to know about Glenville Walker including how the business came about, what they specialise in and all about the recent rebrand. www.glenvillewalker.com

In this special episode of the Downtown Den podcast, Frank McKenna chats with Steven Hesketh from Savvy Hospitality and his new venture The Hospitality Hero. Steven tells us all about the upcoming The Art of Hospitality conference taking place on Wednesday 15th November 2023 at Hilton Liverpool City Centre. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-art-of-hospitality-tickets-726755163257

In this special episode of the Downtown Den podcast, Frank McKenna is joined by Liverpool business woman, social media influencer and model Jade Ainsworth. Talking about her career, Jade discusses her way into the modelling world, her career as a magazine columnist, how she became an online personality in Liverpool, and her infamous appearance on Channel 4 show 'First Dates'. Links Website: www.houseofglitzandglamour.co.uk Instagram: jade_ainsworth

The latest season of the Downtown Den podcast is all about leaders. In the latest episode Downtown boss Frank McKenna is joined by the chief executive of Manchester City Council, Joanne Roney OBE. In a fascinating discussion Joanne discusses her career, some of the lessons she has learned throughout her career and her tips and tricks for what she believes makes a good leader.

The latest season of the Downtown Den podcast is all about leaders. In the latest episode Downtown boss Frank McKenna is joined by former Member of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree, Luciana Berger. Discussing a varied career, Luciana reflects on her career working in retail for Disney and in the NHS and what lessons she took from her experiences and finally what led her to a career in politics.

The latest episode in our 'leaders' series hears from CEO at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, John Irving. In this fascinating discussion with Frank McKenna, John discusses his career from Procter & Gamble to LJLA. A Geordie through and through, John discusses his role as Finance Director and Newcastle United Football Club and how he was able to separate being a fan with being a director. John also touches on his role at Newcastle International Airport. From the Covid crisis through to deals with Lufthansa and Jet2, John shares his journey so far and the future of Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

In the fourth epsiode of the 'Leaders' series of the Downtown Den podcast, Frank McKenna chats with the chief executive of Birmingham City Council, Deborah Cadman. Deborah discusses her vaired career, her experiences prior to taking on the chief executive role at Birmingham City Council, the lessons she has learned from leaders and her stint working for Mo Mowlam. Deborah also shares her thoughts and opinions on how various government structures can change and reform to deliver better services for communities.

In the latest episode of the Downtown Den podcast, Frank McKenna chats with CEO of M & Gaucho Restaurants, Martin Williams. Martin shares his pathway into hospitality, which began with a foray into acting, and his subsequent rise to head honch at Rare Restaurants. Martin also shares some tips and advice on what he believes makes a good leader.

As the Linonesses head for a World Cup final (at the time of publishing), Frank Mckenna chats with Chief Executive of Women in Football, Yvonne Harrison. In an extremely interesting discussion Yvonne discusses how she got involed with Women in Football, her difficulties in being a woman in a male dominated field and the growth of womens football. Yvonne also offers her leadership advice and what she thinks makes a great leader. Yvonne willl be speaking at the Business of Sport conference on Thursday 7th September 2023. Book tickets here.

In the first episode of Season Four of the Downtown Den Podcast, DIB boss Frank Mckenna chats with Managing Director of Make Events, Holly Moore. In a fascinating conversation which looks at Holly's career and personal motivations, they touch on how 'Live Events' coped during and after lockdown, hybrid and virtual events, the struggle of employing the right staff and what the future holds for Holly. Catch up on old Downtown Den podcasts with Holly Moore below. https://downtowninbusiness.podbean.com/e/series-2-ep-1-holly-moore/ https://downtowninbusiness.podbean.com/e/ep52-downtown-den-a-frank-conversation-with-holly-moore/   Find out more about Holly's podcast 'Anything is Possible' at the below link. https://makeevents.co.uk/portfolio/anything-is-possible-podcast/

Downtown Den Special. DIBs political Editor Jim Hancock and Frank McKenna analyse the July 2023 by election results – and find out who were the winners and losers.

Downtown in Business is fortunate to work in partnership with some of the very best businesses across the country. We wanted to give you the opportunity of getting to know them a bit better, and we have recorded a series of conversations in the Downtown Den with the personalities behind the brands. In this episode DIB boss, Frank McKenna chats with Sean Keyes and Billy Baldwin who are Directors at structural and civil engineers Sutcliffe. sutcliffe.co.uk

Downtown in Business is fortunate to work in partnership with some of the very best businesses across the country. We wanted to give you the opportunity of getting to know them a bit better, and we have recorded a series of conversations in the Downtown Den with the personalities behind the brands. In this episode Downtown in Business Director, Chris McKenna chats with National Framework Manager for Procure Partnerships Framework Faye Dolan, to find out everything about Procure Partnerships Framework. https://procurepartnerships.co.uk/

This season of the Downtown Den Podcast focuses on The Business of Sport. In episode ten, Downtown boss, Frank McKenna chats with Andy McIntyre from VSI Executive Education and host of a number of season three episode to get this thoughts and opinions on the stories and insights we heard in this series. Reflecting on his conversations, Andy discusses some of his key takeaways from the series, such as Premier League winning Captain Wes Morgan's desire to move not into the coaching side of football but the boardroom post his playing career. Andy also, reflects on his intimate and authentic discussion with David Thompson, who opened up on his mental health issues after suffering serious injuries whilst palying, his conversation with Chris Millard in making the Barmy Army a global sports business and Brendan Flood and Kenny Bruce on their ownership of football clubs. One of Andy's highlights of the series was David Murray, who discussed in fascinating detail his involvement with the second Premier League TV rights deal for Sky TV. On Thursday 7th September, Downtown in Business will host its inaugural ‘Business of Sport' conference at Lancashire Cricket Clubs Emirates Stadium in Manchester. FInd out more at https://downtowninbusiness.com/business-of-sport-conference/  

Downtown in Business is fortunate to work in partnership with some of the very best businesses across the country. We wanted to give you the opportunity of getting to know them a bit better, and we have recorded a series of conversations in the Downtown Den with the personalities behind the brands. Next up in our 'Meet the Partner' series is Elaine Bowker, the Principal and Chief Executive of the City of Liverpool College. Elaine and Frank reflect on why the college is known as 'The College for Business' and how businesses can take advantage of some of the numerous opportunaties available to employers via the college. https://www.liv-coll.ac.uk/

In episode nine of season three in our Business of Sport series, we take you back to the Downtown in Business Property & Regeneration conference of 2021 at the Belfry. Gary Neville gave a sparking performance, in conversation with Frank McKenna, and talked about a whole range of issues, including business culture, personal motivation and ambition, football, and of course, politics. Gary will be among the keynote speakers at Downtown in Business' ‘Business of Sport' conference in September, alongside Rugby League legend Jamie John Buchanan, the CEO of Women in Football, Yvonne Harrison, GB javelin champion and Olympic medal winner Goldie Sayers, and many more. For further details of the conference, please CLICK HERE.

In episode eight of season three in our ‘Business of Sport' series in the Downtown Den, the former chief executive of Manchester City Council Sir Howard Bernstein joins DIB boss Frank McKenna, discussing the economic impact of sport, culture, and sporting events. Sir Howard was one of the chief architects of the hugely successful Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002 and led the initial transformation and regeneration programme in East Manchester. Here he explains the city's thinking in bidding for the Olympic Games, hosting the Commonwealth Games, the legacy of that two-week sporting event, and the importance of developing genuine public-private sector partnerships to maximise the benefits of hosting major events. Bernstein also speaks of his passion for Manchester City Football Club, as he looks forward to attending the FA Cup and Champions League Finals. https://downtowninbusiness.com/business-of-sport-conference/

Downtown in Business is fortunate to work in partnership with some of the very best businesses across the country. We wanted to give you the opportunity of getting to know them a bit better, and we have recorded a series of conversations in the Downtown Den with the personalities behind the brands. Next up in our 'Meet the Partner' series is Jayne Moore, the CEO of Moore Media. Jayne and Frank reflect on Jayne's business journey so far, from owning and running an lifestyle magazine in Birmingham in the late 90's to celebrating 10 years of Moore Media. They touch on the current world of journalism and how everyone now has the ability to voice their thoughts and opinions via social media and podcasts. And there's also take a quick look into what the future holds for Moore Media. www.jaynemooremedia.com

Downtown in Business is fortunate to work in partnership with some of the very best businesses across the country. We wanted to give you the opportunity of getting to know them a bit better, and we have recorded a series of conversations in the Downtown Den with the personalities behind the brands. Next up in our 'Meet the Partner' series is Paul Cheetham-Karcz, the chief executive of Sedulo. Paul and Frank discuss Paul's Sedulo journey, his own podcast series and the Sedulo Foundation Colour Ball. sedulo.co.uk

This season of the Downtown Den Podcast focuses on The Business of Sport. VSO Executive Education chair, Andy McIntyre speaks with a series of fascinating personalities who are involved in sport – either as performers, investors, or administrators – and they have some great insights to share. In this episode Andy speaks with newly appointed Vice President of Sporting for the U.S. Soccer Federation and former U.S. international footballer Oguchi Onyewu. The U.S. Soccer Federation has named Oguchi Onyewu, VSI CEO of a Sports Organisation graduate, as the Vice President of Sporting. Onyewu, 40, brings a wealth of experience as a player and sporting executive with over 25 years in the game. In this newly created role, the two-time World Cup veteran will work closely with U.S. Soccer's Sporting Director Matt Crocker in supporting all sporting initiatives within the Federation. Reporting to Crocker, Onyewu will also play a prominent role in managing relationships with clubs and leagues in the United States and across the world, along with strengthening other stakeholder relationships. One of Onyewu's initial responsibilities will be to assist Crocker with the hiring of the next U.S. Men's National Team head coach. With a wealth of international experience and a deep understanding of U.S. Soccer, Onyewu will be an instrumental part of the hiring process. Onyewu will also work closely with U.S. Soccer's Development Department to help drive increased funding for Youth and Extended National Teams. A 501(c)(3) non-profit, U.S. Soccer receives no federal government funding to manage its National Teams programs, support hundreds of thousands of coaches and referees, and impact millions of players. "We are thrilled to welcome Oguchi Onyewu to our team at U.S. Soccer,” said Crocker. “His experience as a player and sports executive, coupled with his deep understanding of U.S. Soccer, Oguchi will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our sporting initiatives. We all look forward to working closely with him."

This season of the Downtown Den Podcast focuses on The Business of Sport. VSO Executive Education chair, Andy McIntyre speaks with a series of fascinating personalities who are involved in sport – either as performers, investors, or administrators – and they have some great insights to share. In episode six, Andy chats with Managing Director of the Barmy Army, Chris Millard. In this discussion Chris & Andy discuss: What is the Barmy Army, Why players love Test Cricket and it's future, The IPL and its incredible success, Major League Cricket and its implications for the English Summer Cricket season and whether Cricket is suffering due to a lack of free-to-air broadcasting. VSI Executive Education are sponsors of the inaugural ‘Business of Sport' conference to be hosted by Downtown in Business on Thursday 7th September 2023 at Lancashire Cricket Clubs Emirates Stadium in Manchester. Among the confirmed speakers for The ‘Business of Sport' conference are Gary Neville, Natalie Atkinson, Goldie sayers, and Sir Howard Bernstein. To book your tickets for what will be another amazing Downtown in Business experience please click here. barmyarmy.com

Downtown Den Special. DIBs political Editor Jim Hancock and Frank McKenna analyse the 2023 local election results – and what the poll might mean for the General Election in 2024.

The latest episode of the Downtown Den Podcast hears from Purple Bricks founder and Larne F.C. chairman, Kenny Bruce. In conversation with co-founder of VSI Executive Education Andy McIntyre, Kenny discusses his success in the estate agency world with Purple Bricks and his subsequent venture into football ownership with Northern Ireland Premiership champions Larne F.C. With Larne F.C. set to compete in the upcoming Champions League qualifiers, Kenny shares his values and knowledge on how he has helped Larne F.C. achieve this increadible feat. He also shares the unique collaboration with the Steven Gerrard academy for the benefit of their young footballers. https://larnefc.com

Downtown in Business is fortunate to work in partnership with some of the very best businesses across the country. We wanted to give you the opportunity of getting to know them a bit better, and we have recorded a series of conversations in the Downtown Den with the personalities behind the brands. Next up in our 'Meet the Partner' series is Graham Vidler, the chief executive of CPT. Graham focuses on the transport issues facing the country and how buses can be utilised to help alleviate some of these issues. https://www.cpt-uk.org/

In the latest instalment of the Downtown Den Podcast, co-founder of VSI Executive Education Andy McIntyre is joined by former Liverpool, Coventry and Blackburn Rovers footballer David Thompson. David discusses coming through the ranks at Liverpool Football Club, his moves to Coventry and Blackburn and his eventual early retirement. With injury cruelly cutting his footballing career short and affecting his personal life, David candidly recounts his struggles with mental health and the lack of help he was offered back during his playing days. Looking to the future David shares his hope and vision for his future career and how he can utilise his experiences to guide the future generations of young footballers.

In the latest episode of the Downtown Den podcast, Andy McIntyre from VSI Executive Education speaks with sports broadcasting specialist David Murray. In a fascinating conversation David discusses his career in which he was involved in the early years of the broadcasting rights deals for the English Premier League back in the early 1990's. David subsequently moved onto the BBC where he helped to secure the broadcasting rights for Match of The Day.  David also shares his thoughts on why the Broadcasting model for the Premier League has been a major factor in the English Premier League becoming the global game and with the ever increasing development of technology his thoughts on how the world of broadcasting might change over the next 10-20 years.

In the latest episode of the Downtown Den podcast, we have former Burnley FC director Brendan Flood in conversation with Andy McIntyre from VSI Executive Education. In a fascinating discussion Brendan shares his career journey from starting off in Barclays bank to setting up his own university and his experiences with helping Burnley FC achieve promotion to the premier league. Brendan founded UCFB at Burnley's Turf Moor in 2011, the world's first higher education institution with university degrees in the football and sports industry. https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

Downtown in Business is fortunate to work in partnership with some of the very best businesses across the country. We wanted to give you the opportunity of getting to know them a bit better, and we have recorded a series of conversations in the Downtown Den with the personalities behind the brands. First up in our ‘Meet the Partner' series is Asif Ghafoor, the chief executive of Be.EV, a company that is at the forefront of driving the net zero agenda. https://be-ev.co.uk/

On Thursday 7th September, Downtown in Business will host its inaugural ‘Business of Sport' conference at Lancashire Cricket Clubs Emirates Stadium in Manchester. To give you a taste of the type of discussions and debates that will be taking place at the conference, event sponsor VSI Executive Education have worked in partnership with DIB to record a series of fascinating conversations with personalities who are involved in sport – either as performers, investors, or administrators – and they have some great insights to share. Presented by VSI Chair Andy McIntyre, his podcast guests include Premier League title winner Wes Morgan, head of sports rights for the BBC David Murray, football club owner and entrepreneur Brendan Flood, and Olympic medal winner Goldie Sayers. Among the confirmed speakers for The ‘Business of Sport' conference are Gary Neville, Natalie Atkinson, Goldie sayers, and Sir Howard Bernstein. To book your tickets for what will be another amazing Downtown in Business experience please click here. First up, it's Wes Morgan, the man who captained Leicester City to their surprise Premier League title back in 2016.   

The latest guest in the Downtown Den podcast is the chief executive officer of FC United Natalie Atkinson. In this candid discussion with Downtown boss, Frank McKenna, Natalie shares her journey into football, the journey of FC United and its community involvement and the progress and future of womens football. For more information on FC United visit https://fc-utd.co.uk/ Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn.

Next up on the Downtown Den podcast we have Sophie Gilmore, Managing Director of Hybrid Training Centre. In conversation with Frank McKenna, Sophie discusses her journey from leaving school with no GCSE's to apprentice hairdresser to Hybrid. She is also candid in her struggles with imposter syndrome and her views on how the education system could be altered to benefit the majority of students. For more information about Hybrid Training Services visit: https://hybridtec.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hybridtechnicalservices/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hybrid-technical-services/

In the latest episode of the Downtown Den podcast, we are delighted to have the CEO of Co-operatives UK, Rose Marley join Downtown boss, Frank McKenna. The voice of the UK's co-operative movement, Co-operatives UK empowers and supports co-operative enterprise with specialised knowledge and expertise to grow the co-operative economy and create a fairer society. About Rose Self employed from a young age, Rose cut her teeth in the music business during the ‘Madchester' era. Inspired by the lack of social mobility in the creative industries, she then turned her focus to social enterprise. Rose was the founding COO of Manchester City Council developments The Sharp Project and Space Studios where she was a founding director of award winning social enterprise SharpFutures. This led to Rose becoming the Social Enterprise Advisor to Greater Manchester Labour and Co operative Mayor, Andy Burnham, and lead for the young person's opportunities card Our Pass. Find out more about Rose at https://www.uk.coop/about-us/meet-team

FROM JAVELIN THROWER TO PROPERTY INVESTOR – THE STORY OF GOLDIE SAYERS Successful athlete turned businesswoman Goldie Sayer features in the latest Downtown Den podcast. To celebrate the announcement of the inaugural DIB ‘Business of Sport' conference which will take place at the Emirates Old Trafford at Lancashire Cricket Club on 7th September 2023. Goldie joined us during lockdown to discuss her Javelin throwing exploits that led to an Olympic medal, her influence in sport now, and her new career as a property investor. Well worth a listen, Goldie certainly fits the ‘Winning Women' title of this season of the Downtown Den. Future guests include Co-op boss Rose Marley, the CEO of FC United Natalie Atkinson, and the chief executive of Birmingham City Council Elaine Bowker.     

This series of the Downtown Den Podcast is all about Winning Women, in the latest episode Downtown boss Frank McKenna speaks with Liverpool business leader, Kate Stewart. In this episode, Kate takes us on a whirlwind journey, from dropping out of school to making her first million by the age of 26. Kate was responsible for the management of the Liverpool Heritage Market and has since gone onto forge a succesful business career in the hospitality sector. Kate also shares her opinion of the education system and why it needs reform and why she created, Vitality Homes, a hugely successful initiative that gives its residents who may be former addicts, prisoners or anyone who has suffered hardship and found themselves on the wrong path, a chance to turn their lives around long-term and become better members of society.   Follow Kate on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrskastewart Follow Kate on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katestewartlife

An underachiever at school, a self-confessed chatterbox, and a little lost as to know what to do with herself, Hayley Palmer reached her mid-twenties and decided she'd quite like to be a television presenter. She now appears on a number of TV programmes and radio shows, and she gets invited to many a red carpet affair as she has become one of the medias leading commentators on all that is happening in the entertainment industry. This is a lively and fascinating conversation with someone whose journey to a career she absolutely loves was navigated by the sheer force of her attitude, determination, and charming personality. Have a listen to Hayley's story and hear the genuine love and enthusiasm she has for the job she does – a job that, in every way, she created for herself.    Twitter: @presenterhayley Instagram: @hayleypalmer_presenter YouTube: Hayley Palmer Presenter

EDUCATION MINISTER IN THE DOWNTOWN DEN Back in 2020, the then junior minister for education, Gillian Keegan, joined us in the Den to talk about her fascinating career journey (she started as an apprentice in Kirkby, a town on the outskirts of Liverpool), her transition into politics, and her passion for improving skills, education, and training in our country. She is now the education minister – and she'll be one of the keynote speakers at DIBs ‘Change Makers Live' conference on 2nd March 2023 in Liverpool. Have a listen to what Gillian had to say to us almost three years ago when she was a member of Boris Johnson's government. Whatever your politics, we think you'll be impressed.  This is episode three of the Downtown Den's ‘Winning Women' series. Enjoy.

This series of the Downtown Den Podcast is all about Winning Women, in the second episode Downtown boss Frank McKenna speaks with the Leader of Manchester City Council Bev Craig. Bev discusses her first twelve months as Leader of Manchester City Council, her vision for the future of Manchester, her passion for Manchester United and a little bit about her back story. Follow Bev Craig on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bevcraig

In the first episode of the second series of the Downtown Den podcast, Frank McKenna speaks to Managing Director of Mansell Building Solutions, Angela Mansell. Angela discusses her business journey, challenges in a male dominated sector, the way she has evolved the company and her passion for Greater Manchester and Manchester United Football Club. To find out more information on Mansell Building Solutions visit https://www.mansellbuild.co.uk

In this episode, Downtown boss Frank McKenna chats with our Political Editor Jim Hancock as he takes us on a whirlwind tour of his career covering politics across the UK for over five decades. Jim's career took him from the pioneering Piccadilly radio in Manchester to the BBC, he's interviewed several Prime Ministers from Margaret thatcher to Tony Blair, he's covered numerous party conferences and despite his many years in the business of politics he still has the same enthusiasm for it as he did all those years ago. In this episode Jim discusses: His initial interest in politics His foray into broadcasting The politicians who have impressed him most Why it is important for politics journalists to be party neutral The future of political journalism Follow Jim on Twitter https://twitter.com/jimhancockuk

The legendary Liverpool radio host and entertainer, Pete Price, needs little to no introduction. Known best for his late-night talk show on Liverpool radio station Radio City, his career has spanned 50 years in showbiz, with regular TV appearances and a bestselling autobiography ‘Pete Price – Name Dropper'. Renowned for his larger-than-life personality, in this episode of the Downtown Den, Pete candidly discusses both the highlights and dark times from his life and the lessons he has learnt along the way. Sharing emotional anecdotes from his early life and career, we delve deep and discover how Pete Price became Pete Price. Pete chats to Frank about: His childhood Work ethic Becoming a DJ and his first taste of showbiz Fighting his sexuality Acceptance Reinventing himself His late-night phone in show His father and the Sicilian Mafia Follow Pete on Instragam: https://www.instagram.com/petecityprice Follow Pete on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeteCityPrice

A political giant for more than five decades, the man who many believe to be ‘the best Prime Minister we never had', Lord Michael Heseltine, joined DIB boss Frank McKenna in the Downtown Den this week. ‘Hezza', also affectionately referred to as ‘Tarzan' by Tory activists in the 1970s and 80s, has been at the forefront of public life since 1979 when he was given his first cabinet role by Margaret Thatcher as the Secretary of State for the Environment. He has also served as the Minister for Defence, the Minister for Trade & Industry, and Deputy Prime Minister.     A staunch advocate of the UK remaining in the European Union, Lord Heseltine is President of the European Movement. Despite a general antagonism towards Conservative leaders and politicians, the city of Liverpool have made Heseltine an ‘adopted Scouser', following his pivotal role in helping to regenerate the city in the early Eighties, when he was given the title ‘Minister for Merseyside'. He was made a Freeman of Liverpool in 2012 and he is still a regular visitor to the city.  In this wide-ranging conversation, the successful entrepreneur and politician discusses his role in Liverpool's renaissance; his frustrations with Brexit; his time in government; and his vision for the future.  In this fascinating discussion, Lord Heseltine chats to Frank about: His role in the urban regeneration of Liverpool Devolution The overdominance of London Levelling Up Brexit and re-establishing EU relations His impressive political career Highs and lows of governments over the years Local government reorganisation His favourite Prime Minister The European Movement https://www.europeanmovement.co.uk Follow DIB here: LinkedIn Twitter Instagram YouTube

Long-serving chief executive at Warrington Borough Council, Vice Chairman of Rugby Super League Club Warrington Wolves, and early adopter and supporter of Downtown in Business, Prof. Steven Broomhead joins Downtown CEO Frank McKenna in the Downtown Den. In this honest discussion, Steven reflects on his impressive career at the council, “delivering on the ground” and securing funding for regeneration and development schemes that have made a huge impact across the North West region. Furthermore, he gives his realistic insight into the future of local government and shares his passion for Warrington and his role at the Warrington Wolves. DIB CEO Frank McKenna talks to Steven about: Devolution Abolishment of the Northwest Regional Development Agency Steven's career at Warrington Borough Council Delivering on the ground Public private sector partnerships Council as community business The future of local government Skills agenda Model of governance debates across Northwest counties Warrington Wolves To follow Steven on twitter, click here. Find out more about Warrington Wolves here. Follow DIB here: LinkedIn Twitter Instagram YouTube Find out more about joining DIB here.