Fusion Festival unveil new site for 2019

LIVERPOOL'S Fusion Festival have announced a new site location for 2019, moving from Otterspool Promenade to a new, larger site in Sefton Park.  If you do not already know, Sefton Park is a magnificent 235 acre park in the Sefton Park district of Liverpool. Well loved by locals it is classified as a Grade 1 Listed Park, by English Heritage, the park looks like a natural landscape rather than a man made park. It is a Green Flag and Green Heritage awarded site with beautiful features and monuments.

Comments Event Director Damien Sanders:- "After 3 amazing years at Otterspool Promenade we're pleased to announce Fusion's move to it's new home of Sefton Park. The show has gone from strength to strength in Liverpool and across the North West, so we are thrilled to be moving to a site which can accommodate our growing audience and ambitious plans to bring some even bigger names to Liverpool. 2019 is going to be an amazing year and we have some more exciting announcements coming; watch this space!"

The festival had its most successful year to date in 2018 with an all star bill including Years and Years, Jess Glynne, Shawn Mendes, David Guetta and Clean Bandit amongst many others and has even bigger plans soon to be announced for 2019.  Now in its 7th year, Fusion is again teaming up with the UK's number 1 hit music station, Capital, to promise music fans the biggest pop anthems and an unmissable festival line up.   Stay tuned for more information to come very soon….

North West firms most confident in UK

BUSINESSES in the North West are the most confident in the UK, despite overall confidence falling during February 2019, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. Companies in the North West report lower confidence in their business prospects, down 11 points to 18%, and lower economic optimism, which fell 5 points to 6%. Together, this gives an overall confidence of 12%, 7 points down on January 2019. Despite this, the Region was still the most confident of all UK Regions. Meanwhile, a net balance of 18% of firms in the Region expect to hire more staff over the next 12 months, up 3 points on a month ago, demonstrating the Region's resilience.  Across the UK, firms' confidence in their own trading prospects fell 14 points to 13% while economic confidence fell by 15 points to -5%.  The Business Barometer questions 1,200 businesses monthly and provides early signals about UK economic trends both, regionally and nationwide.

Martyn Kendrick, Regional director for the North West at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said:- "It's encouraging to see that confidence in the North West remains higher than in other Regions, despite a fall in confidence nationally. While some local firms may be cautious about the year ahead, there are still enough opportunities to encourage them to increase their headcount and capacity.  We've pledged to lend up to ₤1.3billion to North West firms in 2019; to help them invest and take advantage of growth opportunities ahead."

Across the Region, a net balance of 14% of businesses said they felt that the UK's exit from the European Union was having a negative impact on their expectations for business activity, up 1 point on a month ago.  The bigger picture shows that businesses in the West Midlands were the 2nd most confident in the UK (11%), followed by the North East (7%). Those in Wales were the least confident, with an overall confidence of -2%, 6 points below the national average.  But as many economists and business leaders have pointed out, that things can change with a blink of an eye as Brexit looms over the UK economy.

Hann-Ju Ho, Senior Economist, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking commented:- "Political uncertainty has clearly affected business confidence across the UK, but the underlying economy remains resilient and is able to absorb short term volatility. The modest rise in optimism at the start of the year was no more than a blip as uncertainty continues to impact on business confidence. The results suggest that near term economic growth prospects have moderated further, but there is potential for a recovery further out should uncertainties subside."

LEGION QUIZ NIGHT

THE Formby Royal British Legion are arranging John Nelson`s Fun Quiz on Tuesday 12 March 2019, at Formby Cricket Club, Cricket Path,(L37 7DP) from 7:30pm prompt. Those who have not been to one of John Nelson`s Nights before are in for a treat, everyone should come prepared to enjoy themselves! Tickets cost ₤5 and there will be a raffle and auction, all proceeds to go to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, which helps service and ex-service personnel and their families. Tickets are available from Formby Home or by ringing:- 01704 871927. Also please note that the night will have full bar facilities for those attending to use.!