West Midlands geared up to celebrate Eurovision final
Ahead of Saturday's Eurovision final, fans across the West Midlands are gearing up to celebrate the occasion.There are big hopes for the UK's entry - Remember Monday. The UK automatically qualified for the final as one of the "Big Five" countries that make outsized financial contributions to Eurovision.Events taking place include a party in Leamington and a screening in a Shropshire cinema.Super fans including Paul Deakin from Staffordshire, Lisa-Jayne Lewis from Herefordshire and David Horton-Williams from Wolverhampton will all be tuning in.
The final is airing on BBC One on Saturday, with millions expected to watch.This year's contest is being held at the St Jakobshalle arena in Basel, Switzerland.It is the second year that Warwickshire-based CJ Events will hold a Eurovision final party at the Leamington Pump Room Gardens.
The event will see an artisan market during the day, as well as hot food until midnight. The final will be streamed on a huge screen."We've gone to a 46 square metre screen, that's taking up pretty much most of the pump room gardens," said Aaron Probert from the company."I just think it's so inclusive, a lot of people have said in Leamington that they love coming down, there's a piece of music for them... there's somebody there to talk to."In Shropshire, the Wellington Orbit cinema will host a party, streaming the final."Every customer gets a free flag, we've got light nibbles, late bar as well, and also we've got a red carpet entry so they can walk down the red carpet... if they're all dressed to impress," said Damian Breeze from the cinema."We've got a few sparkly outfits… you'll see us all sparkling away."I think it'll be a party for the whole building."
Paul Deakin is a super fan from Tean, Staffordshire. He will be watching it at a party at his partner's house."It's almost like the Olympics when they do the speech about everybody coming together through sport."I think it's one of those things where we can all, for one night, just come together through music, and I think it's really important."Meanwhile, another super fan - David Horton Williams from Wolverhampton - is in Basel."Off the semi-finals, it's a straight shootout between Sweden and Austria," he said."If we get left side of the board it will be a plus," he said, "but if... they get nothing, they've still done the UK proud, they're going to have a massive career off the back of this.
'Bangers, ballads... and Malta'
Lisa-Jayne Lewis from Ledbury, Herefordshire, is also in Basel. "There are bangers, there are ballads, there are slightly weird ones, there is Malta, and next year we'll be somewhere else doing it all again," she said.She told the BBC that she had enjoyed the UK's entry more after seeing rehearsals."I feel like it's a song that's been made to be performed, not necessarily made to be listened to," she said."Now it's found it's staging… I think it's really good, I think the girls have done a really good job."
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