Even more cultural events are set to take place in Wirral next year as the borough looks to boost its visitor economy to £550 million.

Events such as the Dinosaurs Roaming Wirral Exhibition in Birkenhead have proved popular in 2016 with nearly 3,000 people visiting over five days.

The exhibition was one of many to benefit from funding provided by the Wirral Visitor Economy Network (WVEN) which was set up to increase tourism on the peninsula.

It is also helping to fund two more events this month – the Fabulous Frost Fair at Pacific Road Business Hub and the ‘Make Do and Merry’ at the Old School Room at The Lyceum in Port Sunlight – as well as more in the early part of next year.

The network has more than 100 members drawn from the food and drink, accommodation, golf, heritage and coastal sectors.

Kathy Heywood, learning officer at Williamson Art Gallery and Birkenhead Priory, which hosted the recent dinosaur event, says: “The exhibition was a great success and was visited by nearly 3,000 people over five days. This was a fantastic response and will encourage the team to develop future family friendly events.”

The last round of applications for grants to stage new events or help expand existing ones closed at the end of September.

The successful bids had to show evidence that their planned event was likely to attract in excess of 500 visitors. In total, 10 applications were successful.

Lorna Tyson, chair of the WVEN, adds: “We share the council’s ambition to grow the tourism economy in Wirral and make it an even more attractive destination to play, eat and stay.

“Events such as those we are supporting through these grants all help to put Wirral on the map and the feedback we have seen already from the dinosaur event shows that they do create a positive impression.”

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