Salt & Tar Big Comedy Weekender triumphs in Bootle, with more events to come

The first ever Salt & Tar Big Comedy Weekender in Bootle has been hailed as “a huge success” – with more great events to come at Merseyside’s newest events space.

The event was held at the brand new Salt & Tar events space adjacent to the canal at Washington Parade in Bootle over the Spring Bank Holiday Weekend, 26th to 28th May 2023.

It was led by the Tourism team at Sefton Council working with Big Comedy UK, the people behind the annual Southport Comedy Festival, who rounded up the biggest names in comedy featuring stars from Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You.

Liverpool’s very own comedian and TV star Chris McCausland headlined the opening gala night of the festival alongside award winning comedians Nina Gilligan and Patrick Monahan.

King of Live Comedy Irish funnyman Jason Byrne headlined the Sunday night show alongside TV comedians Scott Bennett and Jo Caulfield with Bren Riley hosting both events.

Families enjoyed special daytime Family Fun days with comedy bingo and children’s comedy shows from Britain’s Got Talent finalist Steve Royle and circuit legend Martin Bigpig Mor.

Bingo Nights UK brought their hugely popular Disco Bingo giving guests the chance to win fantastic prizes.

All the shows were performed inside a luxury heated marquee provided by Elite Marquees with lots of seating and great facilities.

Prices were kept deliberately low with tickets starting at just £5.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills said:

“It was incredible to see how successful the Comedy Weekender at Salt and Tar was. It is a testament to the effort and dedication from everyone involved over the last few months. This is just the start of what we believe will be a huge boost to Bootle and the Sefton community from Salt and Tar.”

Brendan Riley from Big Comedy UK said:

“This was the first Salt and Tar Big Comedy Weekender and it was a huge success, very well received by the people who came to see it. We are really pleased with how it went. It has been really positive for the area.

“The line-up was very strong, but you are never sure about how a new event will be received until it happens.

“It is all about establishing Salt & Tar. When Camp & Furnace first opened in Liverpool people were asking ‘what is it?’ but it’s iconic now. That same situation applies to Salt & Tar now, and this shows just what is possible.

“It has been great to be involved. We have really enjoyed working with the Tourism team at Sefton Council, with Elite Marquees, and others to make this happen.”

The venue has been named Salt & Tar to refer to the Bootle’s rich industrial heritage, with the Brotherton’s Tar Distillery on Hawthorne Road and the area’s historic link to the salt trade.

A 2023 event calendar is already in place including a music festival with high profile headline acts, a Food and Drink Festival, outdoor cinema screenings, community events and live music, markets, and beer festivals as well as a Christmas event programme.