Ticket touts and other illegal traders at this weekend’s Grand National meeting have been warned they face a crackdown on their activities.
The city council’s licensing and regulatory services are warning them not to try and take advantage of one of the biggest events in the sporting and social calendar.
The Crabbies Grand National Festival, will bring in crowds of over 150,000 race goers many of whom will look to extend their racing day out in the city centre pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants with an estimated spending spree of about £40m. The council and its partners want to ensure that racegoers can get to and from Aintree safely and are not targeted by illegal operators.
A total of eight operations will take place over the three day event, with licensed premises being inspected for the sale of illicit alcohol while activities such as cherry picking and plying for hire in the taxi trade will be clamped down upon. Illegal street traders will be arrested with goods seized and ticket touting will be banned and touts will have the tickets seized.
Those attending the meeting will be directed to taxi pick-up points which will be marshalled to ensure safety.
John McHale Head of Licensing said: “The Grand National Festival is one of the nation’s great sporting events and it puts the international spotlight on Liverpool. We want the tens of thousands of visitors who will be coming to the city before and after the races to have a safe and enjoyable time.
“Last year we cracked down on ticket touts and were very successful in deterring them and, along with Merseyside Police, are determined to do the same this year.
“We work with the licensed trade, taxi trade and private hire trade operating in the city to ensure that everybody knows what the plans are for the festival and the vast majority of those involved in the trades want the same outcome as ourselves – a safe and enjoyable time which shows Liverpool at its best.”
