Liverpool pubs 'buzzing' ahead of Eurovision final
The 67th Eurovision Song Contest has been in full swing this week at the city’s Liverpool Arena, hosted in the UK on behalf of Ukraine, with performers competing to be crowned winner between Tuesday 9 May and Saturday 13 May.
Love Lane Brewery director David Roche said: “The city is buzzing and the influx is crazy.
“I had no idea how big Eurovision was until last week when everybody started piling into the city, it's been really good.
Big boost
“It's going to be a big boost for everybody, a boost that everybody needs.
“It's getting new people from Europe and further afield, eyes on the city, see how good it is, see the great events that we can put on and get that repeat custom over the next few years.”
Based in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle, the brewery celebrated Eurovision with a variety of events, including drag takeovers, live screenings of the contest, a bottomless brunch and themed quizzes.
Tickets for the various events, hosted by Liverpool-based drag queens including Filla Crack, cost between £10 and £35 and “sold out” for the live screening of the contest’s finale on Saturday 13 May.
Roche added while the celebrations the brewery planned were not things it would usually do; Love Lane is looking at Eurovision as a “platform” to host similar events.
More inclusive
He continued: “It’s not what you'd normally associate with happening in a brewery, but we're going for it and it's been great.
“The venues need to become more inclusive around the city and I think this is a really good opportunity for everybody to get behind it.”
This comes as UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls last week stated May had the potential to be a “historic” month for the hospitality sector with a variety of key events set to provide a £1bn boost to trade.
Nicholls said: “We know the British public turn out in their droves for big events and we expect the coronation and Eurovision to be no different.
“Whether it’s the traditional street party to celebrate the King or a watch party in Liverpool for Eurovision, hospitality will be at the centre of both events and we anticipate this will translate to a huge uplift in sales for the sector.”
