Hospitality businesses across Manchester raked in an estimated £17.5m last weekend - thanks to Manchester Pride.

An impressive bill of artists - including Roisin Murphy, Heather Small, Boy George and Sophie Ellis Bextor - drew more than 40,000 visitors from across the UK, Europe and United States.

Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester and chairman of Manchester Pride, says the event has become a highlight of the city’s annual calendar.
He said: “The last time research was done it was valued that it was worth £17.5m and that was two years ago. We would expect it to be more than that.

“We certainly know that many of the hotels, bars and restaurants were full at the weekend, because of the number of people who travel to Manchester for Pride. This is one of the city’s pillar events and one that has been identified as being important to the brand of Manchester because of what it says about the city.”

Manchester Pride began 18 years ago, as a way of raising funds for HIV and Aids charities. And since 2003 the festival has raised £500,000 for north west charities.

Excepts taken from The Pink Paper.