AIRBNBs and hotels in Wirral have shot up in price and nearly all sold-out ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool next year.

It was announced on Friday that Liverpool will host the event, as the city was chosen over Glasgow at the final stage.

Eurovision is being held in the UK next year on behalf of Ukraine as they cannot host the event due to the ongoing Russian invasion.

Liverpool's mayor, Steve Rotherham, has expressed "disappointment" at the soaring prices.

Since Friday's announcement, he said accommodation guests have reported seeing their bookings for May 2023 cancelled and then re-published at "grossly inflated prices".

Mr Rotheram said: "Eurovision is supposed to be an occasion where everybody comes together in the name of peace, love and understanding. It's a multi-coloured and multi-culture spectacular.

"That is why it is so disappointing to see some businesses in our region, who have jumped at the chance to grossly inflate prices - with some even cancelling existing bookings only to re-advertise the same things at many times the previous price.

"I don't want anybody to be prevented from visiting our great city region because it's been made financially restrictive."

Hotels on Booking.com for Wirral have completely sold out ahead of the event, which is taking place on Saturday May 13 2023.

Prices have shot up at Airbnbs and other accommodation venues across Wirral, as it is only a short journey over to Liverpool.

A look on the Airbnb site shows a two-guest holiday home in Birkenhead being priced at £1,169 for the night, while a seven-guest home in Birkenhead which is normally £690 a night is costing £7,122 for the night of the contest.

Premier Inns and Travelodges in Wirral have also all completely sold out.

Locals have taken to social media, advising visitors looking for accommodation to consider booking in locations such as Wirral, Chester, Manchester and Southport.

On the morning of the announcement, Debbie Forsyth, from Surrey, booked four rooms at a Wirral hotel for a family wedding which falls on the day of Eurovision.

Wirral Globe: Debbie Forsyth (Credit: Twitter)Debbie Forsyth (Credit: Twitter) (Image: Twitter)

Debbie paid £65 a room before the news was released that Liverpool had won the bid to host.

Almost immediately after the announcement was made, the hotel automatically amended Debbie’s booking to a day later.

To her shock, to re-book the hotel for the day she wanted would now cost £999 a room.

The hotel said to Debbie that there was a wedding at the hotel that day, and the bride wanted the whole hotel.

When Debbie explained that you can still book rooms, just at an increased price, the hotel stopped responding.

Speaking to the Globe, Debbie said: “I’m very angry but there’s nothing I can do. I can’t go to my nieces wedding now.

“It’s a shame as it was such a small wedding and there was seven of us coming down from Surrey, which is about 15% of her guest list.”

Jody Bauer, 41, from Netherlands is a Eurovision superfan.

Wirral Globe: Jody Bauer (Credit: Twitter)Jody Bauer (Credit: Twitter) (Image: Twitter)

On the morning of the announcement, she booked an Airbnb in Liverpool for around £500 for three nights. However, she booked the wrong dates.

Immediately after Liverpool won, Jody wanted to book for the correct dates, only to find there was only 3% of accommodation left.

Looking for something further away, Jody has now booked accommodation in Manchester for the event.

Speaking to the Globe, she said: “I will not be able to go to the evening shows or fan area because I’ll need to get the last train back.

“What is being offered in Liverpool is literally pushing people away and it’s giving a bad feeling about the city.”