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Sunderland gigs to bring tourism boost

The North East is set to have an extra £3.5m injected into the economy thanks to the biggest concerts ever staged in the region.

Sunderland’s Stadium of Light is to host Take That and Oasis in the coming fortnight, and the droves of music lovers are expected to spend in the wider economy.

Lesley Callaghan, marketing and commercial director of Sunderland football club said: “We expect many people who come to the area for the concerts to go shopping or to a restaurant before the show and to sample the city’s nightlife afterwards.

“Many businesses are extending their opening hours on the day of the concerts to cope with the anticipated extra demand for their services.”

It is hoped that the concerts will have a knock on effect for the tourism industry, after first-timers to the city see its potential as a holiday destination.

Chief executive of Sunderland City Council Dave Smith said: “The concerts at the Stadium of Light are a fantastic coup for the city and present a great opportunity to showcase everything Sunderland has to offer.

“Some of the visitors will be coming to Sunderland for the first time, but we hope that once they see our award-winning parks, beaches and many tourist attractions that we will be welcoming them all back.

“All our city centre seafront hotels and guesthouses are fully booked and we expect the concerts to contribute a minimum of £3.5m to the local economy in terms of tourism and revenue.”

This week also saw Sunderland city councillors approve outline planning permission for a fifth new hotel to deal with the expected growth in demand, with the city in “desperate need” of more accommodation.

Coun Tom Martin said: “It’s exactly what we want for the city, we want hotel developments.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .