|
Ryanair
Helps Culture 2008 Bonanza........
RYANAIR
has gone plane-crazy for the date this month that marks a similarity that gave Liverpool the City of Culture award for 2008 by arriving at a turbulent offer set to see travellers from the city leave in their droves.
Last minute summer travelers bent on finding European and Irish summer fever will be able to book flights on 20 August to Dublin or Brussels from Liverpool John Lennon Airport for only 20p from the budget airline, (exclusive of airport taxes and charges). The cut-price bookings can be made for any time between 6 September and 15 October 2003.
Annette McGarry, Ryanair PR and Promotions Executive, said:-
"The whole of Liverpool will be sky-high on August 20, and we wanted to contribute to the celebrations by giving people the chance to take to the skies with us at our lowest ever price.
Our 20/08 offer will give holidaymakers a real treat by allowing them to fly to Brussels or Dublin for less than the price of sending a postcard."
Ryanair's offer is yet another reason why the important date in Liverpool's cultural calendar is shaping up to be a very special day, as organisations slash prices, hold special events and open their doors for free.
The latest 20/08 offers include free legal advice for tomorrow's sporting stars and performing artists on turning professional at Hill Dickinson Solicitors, Liverpool; free face painting at Church Street Podium for kids (and big kids!), from Funk It! Face & Body Painting UK; and a two for one offer on three course meals at Oliviers Restaurant, Liverpool Marriott.
Liverpool City Council's Creative Director, Sue Woodward, said:-
"Ryanair's offer is another fantastic boost for the city's 20/08 celebrations. Our programme gets bigger and better every day, and we're really hitting the heights with this super-soar-away offer!"
NEW
FIGURES show the city council's Film Office broke all records by helping to organise the equivalent of 121 days of filming during July - the highest since the department was formed back in 1989.
Productions being shot in the city last month included two feature films - 'Millions', a black comedy starring James Nesbitt about two youngsters who find £1 million, and 'Digital Jesus' which has seen locations such as Stanley Dock, Exchange Flags and Old Hall Street double as New York.
|
Nine network television programmes
were also shot in the city, including:-
- · BBC One police series 'Mersey Beat' - which is shot entirely in Liverpool
- · CBBC's 'Grange Hill', shot on location at Mersey TV headquarters and in Norris Green
- · ITV1's drama 'To Kidnap a Princess' about the attempted kidnap of Princess Anne, which used Sefton Park to replicate The Mall in London
- · Red and Blue - a BBC One drama about the demonstrations outside Holy Cross school in Belfast
The Film Office estimates that hundreds of people were employed on the productions, giving a huge boost to the local economy and benefiting businesses such as hotels, taxi firms and caterers.
Film Office manager Lynn Saunders is delighted:- "It's a really exciting time for the film industry in Liverpool. This year we are on course to break all records in terms of the amount of money generated for the local economy - latest estimates are around £15 million.
The Liverpool Film Studios are booked up solid until the end of the year and are even busier than Pinewood Studios. It is absolutely amazing and tremendously exciting."
Sue Woodward, Creative Director of Liverpool 2008 said:- "I know from my background in television that Liverpool has a fantastic reputation within the film industry for providing great locations and logistical support for film makers.
There is a phenomenal level of interest in using Liverpool for making television series and feature films, and with the European Capital of Culture win our profile is set to grow even further over the coming months and years."
Later this year, 'The Virgin of Liverpool', a comedy feature film starring Ricky Tomlinson and Johnny Vegas shot entirely on location in the city, will go on general release and it is thought it will generate more interest from film makers wanting to come here.
Alice Morrison from North West Vision - the organisation which promotes filming in the North West - added:-
"In 2000 Liverpool was branded 'Boom Town' because of the amount of activity here, and I think we are on course to smash that record in 2003.
A large part of the reason is that Liverpool is an extremely film friendly city with a Film Office which has a tremendous reputation."
|
