The Liberal Democrats will hold their Autumn 2012 Conference in Brighton, Brighton and Hove Council has revealed today:
The council’s tourism arm VisitBrighton has said the party is expected to bring around 8,000 delegates to the event, injecting around £10m into the local economy.
The party last held its autumn conference in the city in 2007.
Council bosses say the news justifies recently spending £1m on refurbishments to the Brighton Conference Centre. They expect the event to attract extensive media coverage for the city, given the Lib Dems’ role in the coalition government.
Council leader Mary Mears said: “I’m delighted. Since they last came here in 2007 there’s been a huge increase in bars, restaurants and entertainments for conference delegates. The council has also spent £1m improving the Brighton Centre, so they should find it more comfortable.
Dates for the 2012 Liberal Democrat Conference have not been made available yet, but that year’s party conference season will be later than usual. This is to avoid clashing with the Paralympics, which begin on Wednesday 29 August. Brighton and Hove will be hosting one of the pre-training camps for the Olympics.
The conference in Brighton marks a return to the South of England after five consecutive Lib Dem conferences in the North.
A recap of forthcoming Lib Dem conference venues:
Autumn 2010: Liverpool
Spring 2011: Sheffield
Autumn 2011: Birmingham
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13 Comments
If between us we inject £10 million pounds into the local economy during one week in September, couldn’t we cancel conference and agree to all write a cheque and send it to Cowley Street?
Woo! This means I won’t have far to travel at all!
Benjamin, only if you’re willing to forego food and drink for a week! Though I would like to see exactly how they calculate the economic impact of a conference as £10m for 5000 people is £2000 per person for the week (or about £350 per day) which does seem a little high.
Brighton is not a bad venue, Birmingham is a good one, and I look forward to Sheffield & Gateshead.
Bournemouth is my least favourite, so I hope we can avoid that for a few years. What about
Manchester for 2013?
Hoorah! Another good reason not to defect to another party.
Isnt Mary Mears the dodgy skid row on sea council leader in private eye?
She is a Tory, why is she commenting?
Brighton council keep trying to pull the conference centre, so why do we have to put up with it?
Should have gone to Lib Dem Eastbourne
Oh noes! Brighton! And no Harrogate …
As a Lib Dem resident and Brighton resident, I think it is excellent news.
I voted for northern city venues and Liverpool and Gateshed/Newcastle meets the demand from so many L/D delegates,fellow travellers and supporters in the North of England.
Birmingham is an excellent venue and ought to herald a resurgence of British manufacturing industry in the heartlands.
You cannot beat a conference at the seaside!
I hate Brighton but I hate non-seaside venues more (apart from Harrogate which is the seaside without the sea and anyway isn’t big enough nowadays).
The thought of a conference in Liverpool is appalling. As for Gateshead…
Tony Greaves
The dates still haven’t been made available nearly a year later, which is a little irritating as I’d quite like to snap up some cheap accommodation!
Robson, this is why the exact dates aren’t revealed until closer to the time: so that accommodation isn’t bought up then sold on at inflated prices by large corporations.