The Mayor of Liverpool, Steve Rotheram, has criticised “grossly inflated” accommodation prices in the city for next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Last week, Liverpool was announced as the host city for Eurovision 2023, beating Glasgow to stage the contest on behalf of Ukraine, who organisers deemed unable to host the event due to their ongoing war with Russia.
Over the weekend since the announcement, accommodation costs in Liverpool for the weekend of the contest (May 13, 2023) skyrocketed, with some reporting fees of up to £20,000 per night.
After reports of huge price hikes, event organisers have urged fans not to pay over the odds for accommodation, and hinted that extra provisions will be considered, potentially including “cruise ships or a campsite”.
The city’s Mayor has also spoken out against the inflated costings, sharing his disappointment at the “grossly inflated prices”. He told BBC News: “For our area it is a fantastic chance to showcase all that is good in a great city – and beyond.
“That is why it is so disappointing to see some businesses in our region who have jumped at the chance to grossly inflate prices.
Rotheram added: “I’ve called this behaviour out several times before, especially when football fans have been ripped off for flights and accommodation.”
Chris Brown of Marketing Liverpool also told BBC News of his disappointment, and urged fans to not book accommodation at the prices quoted. “We would certainly say to anybody that received those prices not to book them,” he said.
Of people charging over the odds, he added that organisers would “be addressing those who we feel are behaving in a way that we would say is not in the spirit or ethos of why Liverpool went into Eurovision”.
Ahead of winning the bid, a report in the Liverpool Echo revealed that the city council is working on plans for a full cultural programme that will celebrate UK music, Eurovision and Ukrainian culture.
2022 winners Kalush Orchestra responded to the news of Liverpool being announced as the host city for next year’s contest, saying: “We are very pleased that next year’s Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Liverpool.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will take place at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool on May 13.
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