Liverpool consult residents over Anfield plan as 'major global act' possibility emerges

-Credit: (Image: Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
-Credit: (Image: Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)


Liverpool are consulting with residents who live in the vicinity of Anfield Stadium over potentially moving an agreed respite period to mid-July to mid-August. Letters were sent out by the club on Thursday.

Having hosted three huge sell-out gigs for global superstar Taylor Swift this summer, as well as two hugely successful dates for US pop icon Pink, the Reds have already secured the first act of next summer, with British pop star Dua Lipa to perform on June 24, 2025.

While having the summer of 2023 blank due to construction work on the Anfield Road End, and the pandemic-impacted summers of 2020 and 2021, live music events have been a revenue boost for both the club and the city economy, with a recent report citing a £31.3m boost to the local economy over the past five years through Anfield summer concerts.

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Liverpool, however, are limited to six live events outside of the football calendar each year, as per an agreement with Liverpool City Council, with the club’s positioning in a heavily residential area meaning that consideration has to be taken for residents who already see major traffic and footfall on home matchdays.

At present there is an agreement in place where there is a ‘respite period’ of 31 days where there are no live events held at the stadium. That period currently runs throughout the month of July.

The club intends to maintain an unbroken 31-day respite period but is canvassing residents for their views on the possibility of moving that period to start in mid-July and run until mid-August.

The reason for the proposal is that the club wants to build on its growing reputation as a world-class venue for the biggest artists on major world stadium tours, and through conversations with promoters have found there to be a significant demand for concerts to be held in early July, which currently falls in the 31-day period.

The club have the opportunity to bring another ‘major global act’ to Anfield, but that opportunity exists in early July.

The letter to residents read: “During the summer of 2025, we have so far confirmed one major event, a Dua Lipa concert, scheduled to take place on June 24.

“The club has recently been presented with the opportunity to bring another major global act to the stadium at the beginning of July 2025, which falls within the existing 31-day event-free period.

“While we remain firmly committed to honouring the 31-day break, we want to seek your views on moving the event-free period slightly for summer 2025 to begin after that July concert.

“ For the avoidance of doubt, there would still be a clear period of 31 consecutive event-free days during the summer football closed season and we would clearly communicate the new start date to residents once determined.

“The concert, if confirmed, would also be operated in accordance with our planning permission and its supporting operational and transport strategies and plans, which will continue to underpin all of our major event activities.

“Looking further ahead and given our dealings with event and concert promoters on the 2019, 2022 and 2024 concerts, we have identified that there is a demand for concerts at larger venues during the first two weeks of July.”

Liverpool’s current permission from the City Council was for five years, with three of those years remaining, including 2025. The club are also exploring the possibility of having greater flexibility for the scheduling of major events during the summer, out of the football season, for the remaining three years.

The letter continued: “In all instances, we remain wholly committed to retaining the 31-day event-free period and are simply seeking some flexibility on when these events can take place.”

Also included in the consultation letter sent to residents are proposals to keep a small section of Anfield Road closed, following completion of the Anfield Road expansion building work.

The section in question runs alongside the stadium and has been closed for over three years due to construction works, with the club having identified a number of concerns in regards to the accessibility of the road should it be re-opened. The club believes the area will benefit from it remaining pedestrianised.