Liverpool 'loses' Channel 4 headquarters bid

Steve Rotheram (left) and Joe Anderson led the bid to host the broadcaster's headquarters

Liverpool has lost out in its bid to host Channel 4's new national headquarters or a creative hub.

The city was being considered by the broadcaster in its search for a base and two other hubs outside London.

Channel 4 announced on Monday its new HQ would be in Birmingham, Greater Manchester or Leeds.

Liverpool city mayor Joe Anderson said the city had missed out because it was not included in the government's plans for a high speed rail network.

He said: "I am very frustrated.

"Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester will also get HS2 and we are losing out for the sake of an 18-mile link to Crewe."

Channel 4 will move 300 out of 800 jobs away from London as part of plans to invest £250m in the regions by 2023, with the possibility to increase the number of jobs being moved out of London over time.

The two cities that miss out on hosting the national HQ will be in the running to become home to a creative hub, along with Bristol, Cardiff and Glasgow.

Final decisions will be made in October.

Liverpool City Region metro mayor Steve Rotheram and Mr Anderson led the bid with help from Phil Redmond, creator of Channel 4 soap Brookside.

'Difficult decisions'

Channel 4's chief commercial officer Jonathan Allan said: "We have again had to take some very difficult decisions on which cities to take forward to the next stage, but we believe the six cities we have selected are best able to deliver against our vision and requirements for the new national HQ and creative hubs."

Liverpool was among 30 cities that submitted bids in April before a shortlist of 13 bidders was announced in May.