Liverpool & Manchester


A TALE OF TWO CITIES


FOOTBALL, MUSIC... MICE? THE NORTH-WESTERN METROPOLISES HAVE A HEALTHY RIVALRY THAT OFTEN PROVES GOOD FOR BUSINESS


IF THE TORY PARTY AND CHANCELLOR GEORGE OSBORNE are to be believed, the north of England will soon become an all- consuming ‘Powerhouse’. It will help rebalance the economic power away from London, create more jobs and have a multi-billion pound rail system. But is Osborne’s plan still on track or was


he paying lip-service to ‘up north’? In June, manifesto plans to modernise parts of the UK rail network, including the mainline from London to Sheffield and the Transpen- nine route from Manchester to Leeds, have been put on hold (see rail feature, p90). But the government insists its plans are still in place and, in August, outlined a £13 billion blueprint and denied claims it had abandoned the Powerhouse initiative. However, two of the north of England’s important and famous cities would argue they have plenty to offer already. Liverpool and Manchester share many similarities


112 BBT SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015


but are also steeped in rivalry: both would lay claim to having the best of everything – music scene, football team, university... whether it’s debating the 1960s’ beat- groups in Liverpool and the ’90s’ ‘Madches- ter’ scene, or Manchester United versus Liverpool FC, both cities can put forward compelling arguments. Both also claim to be star players as MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) destinations. Paul Bayliss is GM of the Macdonald Manchester Hotel, and chairman of the Manchester Hoteliers Association. He believes the city’s acces- sibility gives it an edge. “Manchester boasts fantastic transport connections from the south and overseas,” he says. “It is extremely successful in attracting conference and events business. It can offer a rich culture, an array of venues and brilliant accessibility, all at a fraction of the cost compared to other big cities across the EU.”


Portman Travel director John Dick says,


for both cities to better compete with rival cities for MICE business, then ease of access is crucial. “Rail access is adequate, but there’s little doubt more and faster rail services add to the appeal when competing with overseas destinations or UK destinations.” He adds that while few cities can take on capitals such as Paris and London, Man- chester and Liverpool are “well equipped” to compete against most European cities as business destinations. Meanwhile, at Liverpool’s new Aloft


hotel, GM Andrew Kendrick says the city’s “thirst for innovation” and landmark venues mean it can compete with major European players in attracting international and local events of all sizes. With the two north-west giants looking


for ever-more opportunities to harness meetings spend, BBT takes a look at what both cities can offer as MICE destinations.


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