Liverpool is “ready to roll the red carpet out for a Eurovision celebration that the world will never forget” as it was confirmed the city was in the final two candidate locations for the 2023 contest.
This afternoon, the BBC confirmed that the European song contest to be staged next year will either be held here or in Glasgow. As part of the process, judges have looked at venues, transport links, funding and past experience of hosting major events.
Both locations have seen off competition from Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield and Newcastle to reach the final two. Mayor Joanne Anderson said hosting Eurovision would “write a brand-new chapter” in Liverpool’s musical heritage.
READ MORE: Huge queues snake out of Post Office for 'two weeks straight'
She said: “I’m so thrilled to hear Liverpool’s hopes of hosting Eurovision have moved a big step closer. We all know our city is great at hosting big events – nobody throws a party like Liverpool – and the judges at Eurovision agree.
“From The Beatles, to Cream, to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – Liverpool always moves to its own beat – and hosting Eurovision would write a brand-new chapter in our musical heritage.” Mayor Anderson said staging the event on behalf of Ukraine would be a “huge boost” to the local economy and “provide a platform to sustain jobs well into the future.”
She added: “We are so proud to have the backing of our sister city in Ukraine – Odesa – and it would be a privilege to host Eurovision 2023 on behalf of them and the people of Ukraine.” The Mayor paid tribute to Glasgow but said “for me there is no city anywhere in Europe which would make a more perfect home for Eurovision than Liverpool.”
Claire McColgan CBE, director of Culture Liverpool, said the process of bidding for Eurovision has “once again shown why Liverpool is such a brilliant event city”. She paid tribute to the city’s cross partner approach “from hoteliers to the police, ACC Liverpool to the local hospitals, have got behind our plans and really stepped up to help bring this to the city.”
Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “It’s unsurprising that Liverpool has made it to the final two to host Eurovision because there’s nowhere better qualified or more fitting to host it than here in the UK’s cultural capital. Our reputation as a music heavyweight is unmatched.
“Not only are we a UNESCO City of Music, but no region in the UK has had more number one hits. We’ve shown time and time again that nowhere can throw a party quite like us – we’re ready to roll the red carpet out for a Eurovision celebration that the world will never forget.”
A decision on Eurovision is expected in the coming days.
READ NEXT
Update on North Liverpool site marked for more than 1,000 homes
Schools facing £10m shortfall as need for specialist places increases
True cost of Liverpool council tax letter blunder uncovered
'Absolutely vital' disabled people get a say in pavement café plan
