LIVERPOOL’S first staging of the annual Labour Party conference will generate a £15m economic bonanza for the city, it is predicted.

The five-day summit, which begins next Sunday, will see more than 13,000 delegates, lobbyists and journalists converge on the city.

Hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops are set to cash in on the windfall as Liverpool revels in the national media spotlight.

A record 500 fringe meetings, debates and discussions will take place at venues across the city, with the main conference held at the Echo Arena and Convention Centre (ACC).

Council leader Joe Anderson said: “This is fantastic news for Liverpool as it clearly demonstrates we are able to handle one of the biggest conferences in the country.

“It is a great opportunity for us to showcase all that is good about the City Region and how Liverpool has been transformed in recent years.

“I know delegates and other visitors will be given an extremely warm welcome and will want to return to the city at a later date.”

The conference is set to dwarf last year’s Liberal Democrat event, which delivered a £10m shot in the arm to the city’s economy.

Flagship network television programmes will be broadcast live from ACC Liverpool, including the BBC’s Newsnight and Andrew Marr shows. More than 2,000 journalists are expected to attend.

Bob Prattey, chief executive of ACC Liverpool, said: “We are looking forward to hosting the Labour Party Conference and making sure that delegates have a great experience while they are here.