Family of Littlewoods founder Sir John Moores say they're 'devastated' by fire

Members of the Moores family spoke of their shock at the devastating blaze which engulfed the former Littlewoods Pools building.

By a strange coincidence, a plaque was due to be unveiled on Tuesday at the former Liverpool headquarters of the Littlewoods Organisation in Old Hall Street, Liverpool – less than 24 hours after the fire at the historic Art Deco building on Edge Lane.

It commemorates 95 years of Littlewoods, and the Moores family – recognising its contribution to the employment of more than 15,000 people in Merseyside alone, along with their passion for football, education and the arts.

The plaque on the wall of The Plaza Building at 100 Old Hall Street is described as a lasting tribute to one of Europe’s largest private companies, which was founded by Sir John Moores and his brother Cecil in 1923.

Cecil’s son, former Liverpool FC chairman David Moores, performed the unveiling at the former JM Centre, which was the headquarters of the Littlewoods Organisation from 1965 to 2006.

Joanna Vazquez, granddaughter of Sir John, worked as a girlswear buyer for Littlewoods between 1986 and 1996. She said:

She added that Sir John would have been “gutted” at the damage caused to the famous art deco building.

Lord Grantchester, Christopher John Suenson-Taylor – Sir John’s grandson and a former director of Littlewoods and Everton FC – said:

Twickenham Studios – which has worked on classic films such as The Italian Job and Blade Runner – plans to open a “Hollywood-standard filming complex” at the site. The company signed a deal with developer Capital & Centric to create a £50m Northern base in Edge Lane.

Asked what Sir John’s reaction would have been to the fire, Lord Grantchester added:

Police are treating the blaze as arson.

Littlewoods was the first company to provide pools, first selling them outside Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground in 1923.

Littlewoods, Vernons and Zetters were brought together in 2007 by Sportech under the brand The New Football Pools, which is now known as The Football Pools.

Derek Lloyd, chief executive of The Football Pools, said: