LIVERPOOL hoteliers are expecting a record-breaking weekend as nearly all city centre rooms are sold out ahead of the Grand National festival.

The benefits of thousands of tourists and race-goers descending on the city are set to impact across the region.

Ticket sales for the three-day meeting are 20% up on last year.

According to Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, people are treating the festival as a welcome distraction from the prevailing economic gloom.

Chief executive Jack Stopforth said: “The Grand National meeting is our biggest corporate hospitality day of the year, with 450 chamber members and their guests attending. This year our two corporate hospitality marquees sold out well over a month ahead of the festival.”

He added: “I think people are looking for a bit of distraction from the prevailing gloom.

“The Grand National is hugely important, both in terms of the actual spend in bars, hotels, restaurants and retail, and from an image perspective, as it promotes Liverpool as a world-class place to stage the greatest steeplechase year after year.”