QUIGGINS owner Peter Tierney yesterday told a public inquiry it would be "suicidal" for him to move his business away from his current premises in Liverpool city centre.
Mr Tierney was speaking on the third day of evidence into the compulsory purchase order (CPO) sought by the city council and development partner Grosvenor on the cultural and retail centre on School Lane.
Grosvenor wants an exclusive arcade of shops on the Quiggins site to attract shoppers through from Church Street to two major new department stores in Paradise Street.
It believes Quiggins can be relocated elsewhere in its £750m redevelopment or in the rest of the city centre.
But Mr Tierney stressed the importance of the relationship between his centre and the adjacent Blue Coat Arts Centre.
He said: "The decision to site the Quiggins business in its current location was influenced strongly by the adjacent location of the Blue Coat Arts Centre.
"Over the past 18 years an almost symbiotic relationship has developed between the two organisations, with the commercial activities and exhibitions of the arts centre complementing the activities of Quiggins.
"It would be suicidal to move.
"There would be no correlation with anything. You would have to inject culture into a new area.
"On School Lane we harnessed the culture that was already there.
"We can't just get people to follow us anywhere - we are not a Pied Piper."
Under cross examination from council QC David Elvin, Mr Tierney agreed that he had not provided the council with trading details about his business.
Mr Elvin said: "You have failed to provide the council with any of the information which would enable it to understand your current situation and your future needs."
The QC also pointed out that when Quiggins' lease runs out in 16 years time, it would be required to pay full market value rent for its premises - if granted an extension - compared to the peppercorn it currently pays.
He also stressed that the former George Henry Lee's building on Church Street, apparently the only relocation Quiggins wants to consider, was six to seven times larger than its current 40,000 sq ft centre.
Further witnesses called by Quiggins included city councillor Paul Brant who said he believed Quiggins could be accommodated within the Grosvenor scheme with a "little imagination and flexibility" and Crosby MP Claire Curtis-Thomas.
* THE inquiry will end with summing up today. A recommendation from HM Inspector Derek Mumford and a decision from the Secretary of State is not expected until next year.
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