Metro Mayor pledges to make Liverpool City Region the UK's 3rd most visited destination

LIVERPOOL City Region Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram is today pledging to make the City Region the 3rd most visited UK destination behind London and Edinburgh and believes this could generate up to ₤1.5 billion of additional spend in the local economy over 5 years.

The pledge was made at the launch of the City Region's Visitor Economy week, at Liverpool Football Club. Visitor Economy Week will feature more than 50 events delivered in partnership with the City Region's 7 FE Colleges aimed at promoting career opportunities in an increasingly thriving and important sector.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said:- "Visitor Economy Week is all about promoting opportunities for young people to work in a sector that offers so many rewarding and fulfilling employment possibilities. We are currently the UK's 5th most visited destination and I believe that we need to be more ambitious, given the quality of our assets, the strength of our brand and the warmth of our welcome."

Among the key steps being advocated by the Metro Mayor to boost the City Region's visitor numbers include:- a greater marketing emphasis on attractions and the visitor offer beyond Liverpool, and the creation of a single agency responsible for the marketing and profiling of the area nationally and internationally.

Steve Rotheram added:- "Birmingham and Manchester are great Cities, with more people visiting than currently visit our reason, but neither possesses a World Heritage site, neither has a comparable international brand or has made an equivalent contribution to global culture, and they certainly cannot match the breadth and diversity of our offer in terms of coastal scenery and outdoor recreation. We are the 3rd most instagrammed place in the UK, so let's be the 3rd most visited."

Morrisons creates 'love calculator' to help Southport's shoppers find love in the aisles

MORRISONS Southport is helping hopeless romantics navigate the year's most difficult buying decision; what to buy your loved 1 for Valentine's Day. The supermarket has worked with relationship expert Sam Owen to create a 'Love Calculator' for its shoppers after 34% of people say Valentine's Day is the most 'difficult' buying occasion and 23% said they had bought the 'wrong' gift in the past.

The 'Love Calculator,' which will be offered to Morrisons Southport's shoppers in the run up to Valentine's Day, has over 40 decision tree questions covering relationship status, current romance levels and partner personality traits in order to help guide people to the right gift. For example, a 1st time Valentine who wants to show their funny side is directed to heart shaped crumpets whilst a married couple who have lived together for a few years are guided towards oysters to get them in the mood for romance.

When it comes to what people actually want, 99% of Valentines say that money can't buy you love and it's the thought that counts, as they prefer thoughtful gifts over expensive presents.

Robert Alexander, Store Manager at Morrisons Southport, said:- "Choosing the right gift for Valentine's Day can be difficult and we want to take the stress out of the occasion by helping our shoppers find the perfectly judged gift. The 'Love Calculator' aims to make our customers' lives just that little bit easier."

Sam Owen, Relationship Expert and creator of the Morrisons Valentine's Day 'Love Calculator', said:- "Whatever stage of your relationship, Valentine's Day is always a tricky buying occasion with people often only a purchase away from romantic perfection or disaster. I hope the calculator can help all the hopeless romantics channel their thoughts and make the right gift decisions, so this Valentine's Day is a love-ly 1 for all involved."

The Morrisons 'Love Calculator' will be given away for free from 11 February to 14 February 2018 and is available to try online.

Lord Mayor has officially opened new ₤7 million fruit and veg market

LIVERPOOL'S new fruit, vegetable and flower market, located in Gillmoss, has been officially opened by Liverpool's Lord Mayor, on Wednesday, 7 February 2018. 

The new 80,000 square foot market, which will eventually include a café, has onsite parking and improved welfare facilities, has replaced the existing rundown building off Edge Lane in Old Swan, which was in an extremely poor condition.

It is the latest phase of a significant investment programme in markets which has already seen a new Great Homer Street; 'Greatie' in Everton, and a ₤2.5 million refurbishment of St Johns Market in the City Centre.

Lord Mayor, Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, said:- "I am delighted to be opening this brand new market, which was much needed.  It is great news for the traders who have been waiting a long time for the creation of an attractive new development with modern facilities."

The new market complements other nearby developments including the ₤12 million Geopost DPD parcel facility which has created 250 jobs, and the building of new industrial units by St Modwen.

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ann O'Byrne, said:- "This move has been vital to giving the market a future; their previous home was over 50 years old and the new conditions are a world apart. The workers are unsung heroes whose work is done while many of us are sleeping and we were determined to make sure they found a new site so it didn't just wither on the vine."

The cost of borrowing for the build of the new market is being paid for through rental income from the relocated market traders.

The fruit, vegetable and flower market's former site is to be redeveloped as a new home for a Merseyside Police patrol hub, while also providing space for the Force's vehicle repair facility, currently based at Smithdown Lane. Some land is also being used to rebuild the neighbouring St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, while the remaining 9 acres fronting Prescot Road is set to become new housing.

Arts Council Catalyst funding awarded to Collective Encounters

ARTS Council England have announced Collective Encounters is 1 of the organisations that will collectively receive a total of ₤3 million through the Catalyst Small Grants programme. 

The Arts Council England's Catalyst Small Grants programme enables arts organisations to build fundraising capacity and attract greater investment from private giving sources.

Collective Encounters will use their award to develop advocacy materials, train staff in fundraising and adopt a long term income generation strategy. 

Established in 2005, Collective Encounters is a Liverpool based organisation specialising in using theatre as a tool for change. Collective Encounters delivers place based participatory theatre programmes across the North West, tours new plays that explore current social and political issues and publishes research on the impacts and benefits of the arts.

Graham Whitham, Chair of Collective Encounters said:- "This award comes at an exciting moment in Collective Encounters' evolution. It will enable Collective Encounters to develop a robust evidence base and case for investment. This will not only ensure the organisation is more resilient during these times of political and economic uncertainty, but will also benefit the wider arts and cultural sector, and most importantly the communities the organisation serves."