Every quid spent on Liverpool’s cultural programme generates well over twelve times that amount for the city’s coffers, according to independent research.

Vector Research says Liverpool’s economy was boosted by £33m in 2009, from only £2.5m in new-event outgoings.

That figure’s down a little on Capital of Culture year in 2008, but up significantly on 2007. The figures appear to say it all - Liverpool is working as a leisure economy.

And, depending on who you listen to, Liverpool is the only English city outside London to make the top five visited British cities. Impressive huh?

That news comes at a time when some of the city’s museums are doing their best not to end up amalgamated or closed entirely, which seems rather perverse.

Having just about thrown off the gloom of the decimation of manufacturing, it would be pretty galling for a new emerging industry to be pruned out of existence just as it gets going.