We’ve had some info in regarding public transport over the Christmas period. We hope this is useful for planning your shopping / celebrating / visiting at the most wonderful time of the year.

BUS

Evening services, these will all operate as normal except on Christmas / New Years Eve when the last journeys will be about 20.00 from the terminus

Boxing / New Years Day - Limited services will operate from 10.00. There will be no service after 18.00.

There is no commercial service on Christmas Day.

The night bus network will operate as normal on the 28 / 29 December.

RAIL

Listed below are the last Merseyrail trains on both 24/12 and 31/12:

Wirral Line
West Kirby to Liverpool - 20.01
Ellesmere Port to Liverpool - 20.04
Chester to Liverpool - 20.15
New Brighton to Liverpool - 20.23

Moorfields to Chester - 20.26
Moorfields to West Kirby - 20.31
Moorfields to Ellesmere Port - 20.41
Moorfields to New Brighton - 20.46
Moorfields to Hamilton Square - 20.56

Northern Line
Southport to Liverpool - 20.13
Kirkby to Liverpool - 20.18
Ormskirk to Liverpool - 20.20
Hunts Cross to Liverpool - 20.21
Liverpool Central to Southport - 20.38
Liverpool Central to Ormskirk - 20.40
Liverpool Central to Kirkby - 20.55
Liverpool Central to Hunts Cross - 20.58

Lime Street services
Northern Rail will be running down at a similar manner

You may need to check other services with the operator

Beware as West Coast Main Line services will not be operating many of the through services across the holiday period due to major works underway at a number of locations.

We will bring any more information as we get it.

Importers and exporters in the Merseyside area could be eligible for funding to support their international business development activities. The International Trade Centre at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce has European funding to provide for businesses trading abroad.

Mark Critchley, International Trade Executive explained: “We can provide up to 38% of the cost of international development activity up to the value of £5000 for eligible businesses doing this for themselves. This can include certain expenses such as flights, accommodation and exhibition stands at trade shows. The funding is available for many Merseyside companies with 249 staff of fewer between now and July 2008.”

For more information on the grants available and how to claim, call the International Trade Team on 0151 227 1234 ext 2295.

The Earl of Derby stand at Aintree Racecourse provided an excellent venue for the third Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner.

Over 320 guests enjoyed a most excellent meal of smoked salmon and fillet of beef before hearing top business speaker Stephen Green, Group Chairman of HSBC Holdings plc. Stephen talked about the numerous business opportunities in the growing Asian Market and took questions from the audience.

Next year’s Chamber Annual Dinner in at the Liverpool Echo Arena and Convention Centre on 20th November 2008 and the keynote speaker will be the Director General of the BBC. Provisional bookings are now being taken, contact Sue Platt or Melissa Bush from the Chamber’s events team 0151 227 1234.

See pics from this year’s event on the Chamber Flickr site.

With your LiveOne20 card you can enjoy an exclusive 50% off food from the al a carte menu, in Liverpool’s first authentic Italian restaurant, Il Forno.

Offer available:

Sunday - Thursday, 12noon - 6pm, on food from the al a carte menu only.

(Offer valid once a month for up to two people and will not be available during the month of December but will resume again in January)

Share the Italian’s love for food, experience the passion of the cooking and watch the dramatic fire-breathing mask cook your pizza. Il Forno on Duke Street blends a relaxed and contemporary atmosphere with delicious authentic Italian cuisine.

You can indulge yourself with something from the a la carte menu or opt for a tasty pizza cooked in front of you in a dramatic fire-breathing mask that looks out over the spacious dining area.

Make sure you leave some room to experience a tasty Italian ice cream from Il Forno’s very own gelateria.

Call 0151 709 4002 and quote LiveOne20 to make a reservation.