The Daily Post went to press with a 24-page colour supplement the morning after Liverpool was named as 2008 European Capital of Culture.
Newcastle/Gateshead may have been the bookies’ favourite, but the team at Liverpool’s morning paper were always confident of success.
Work on the supplement started two weeks before the city of culture bid announcement and it would have been scrapped had it failed.
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Post editor Jane Wolstenholme said: “It was a big commitment of resources for potentially no pay back but, knowing and having reported the bid for the past two years, we were confident our efforts wouldn’t be wasted.
“All the planning gave the Daily Post tremendous value for readers hungry to know everything about the bid and Liverpool’s victory.
“It was also a tribute to all the staff who gave their very best knowing their efforts could end up on the spike had the result gone the other way. It was a very proud day for us all.”
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The Post printed an extra 4,000 copies and the supplement was sponsored by the city council.
Assistant editor Tony Ellis said: “A number of people have rung in to say it’s the best Daily Post they’ve ever seen. People don’t ring in and say that every day and we’ve covered some big stories.”
He added: “It’s a vote of confidence in Liverpool and we wanted to support that.”
The supplement featured pieces on music, museums, sport and architecture as well as the city’s economic renaissance.
Among the contributors were staff writers Peter Elson, David Charters, Philip Key, Louise Davis and Chris Brown. Production was co-ordinated by assistant editor (content) Mark Thomas and design editor Gary Bainbridge.
The other losing cities were Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff and Oxford.
By Dominic Ponsford
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