CULTURE company director Robyn Archer was forced to quit her post yesterday after a series of crisis talks about her role in the city's 08 celebrations.
The controversial artistic director cited personal reasons for her sudden departure, but the Daily Post can reveal that growing concern about the direction of the plans she was drawing up for Capital of Culture events and her fractious relationship with leading cultural figures in the region made her position untenable.
Ms Archer had spent less than eight weeks in the city since finally arriving to take up the key position full time, and last night was back in her native Australia, where her mother has been ill recently, adding to her difficulties.
Despite her brief tenure, Liverpool Culture Company will give her a generous pay-off, although the details are still being thrashed out.
Last night, council leader Warren Bradley said: "This is the right way forward for Robyn, for the Culture Company and for the city. The decision was made in consultation with Robyn."
Sources close to Liverpool Culture Company described Ms Archer as passionate but difficult to work with, a "star and a diva who liked to get her own way".
Clashes with cultural figures who felt they were not being listened to led to complaints to the council and Culture Company.
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