Liverpool hospitality hopes train strikes don't derail Eurovision trade

Train strikes over the Christmas period last year saw Askew's restaurant lose around £30,000 worth of business due to cancellations of group bookings, the chef said.

"When hospitality is climbing up the mountain as we're all trying to do, and a city like Liverpool gets Eurovision, you don't need [the strikes] to happen again," he added.

Askew plans to serve three Ukrainian dishes for his full lunch and dinner service on the day of the final but has prepared to take credit card guarantees for last-minute dropouts.

He said the Finland delegation and Eurovision semi-final performer Rita Ora had visited the Art School over the past week.

Matt Farrell, co-founder and executive director of GSG hospitality, which operates six bar and restaurant brands across Liverpool and Manchester, said his specialty coffee shop Bold Street Coffee has had a "fantastic week" in Liverpool due to the influx of overseas guests.

But he said bookings on Saturday were "down from what they should be", adding: "It's obviously a terrible time to have strikes on considering there's such a major event in the city. Hopefully it doesn't cause too much disruption."

Farrell also lost half of his trade over Christmas at one of his Bold Street Coffee sites, which he described as "catastrophic".

However, Fiona Hornsby, owner of city-centre pubs the Bridewell and the Denbeigh Castle, said business has been "brilliant".

She hosted the Australian and Austrian delegations during the semi-finals this week.

Although she has lost a few bookings for the Saturday viewing parties, Hornsby said "the waiting list was so long they've been filled".

Tess Swerdlow, head of marketing and sales for bar and bowling alley Pins Social Club in Liverpool, said: "We've had an increase in enquiries for big parties and celebrations being held at the venue post-Eurovision, especially from local businesses."

Hotels in Liverpool have also benefitted from the influx of an estimated 100,000 people to the city.

STR figures released on 27 April showed that Liverpool's occupancy was "currently at its highest point" on 13 May at 82%, compared to 63.5% last year.

Gill Newsome, commercial director at Z Hotels, which has a 92-bedroom property in Liverpool, said: "All nights are busy or full. Midweek [we] have slightly more rooms remaining but in single figures."

She added that forward bookings were also "looking strong".

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