Liverpool Council repays Pier Head cruise terminal grant

Funding for the Pier Head development was made under the condition it was only used for cruise stop-offs

Liverpool City Council has paid back £8.8m of a government grant to allow cruises to start and end on the River Mersey.

The city received £9.2m of public funding to build a cruise terminal at the Pier Head to allow ships to visit.

The original terms of the grant meant the terminal would be used for cruise stop-offs, not "turnarounds".

The repayment was made after rival port Southampton said it was unfair for Liverpool to receive public money.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: "We agreed to abide by the ruling of the independent arbiter and pay the money back, and that is exactly what we have done.

"As soon as the government gave us details of how they would like the payment to be made, we arranged for it to be settled promptly."

The council said the cruise liner terminal, which is hosting around 30 vessels this year, brings in tens of thousands of passengers and is generating millions of pounds for the local economy.

Mr Anderson added: "Liverpool has an unrivalled maritime history and we are now on the way to restoring our reputation as a leading cruise destination.

"For far too long holidaymakers in the north have had to travel to and from other places to start their journeys, and this is helping to return Liverpool to its rightful place as a major cruise port."

Source: BBC, UK.