Spice Girls cash row: '£50,000 is a pittance' for what Stadium of Light gig will bring to Sunderland economy

The Spice Girls will appear at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland on June 6.

City leaders claim that spending £50,000 will help generate up to £4million for the economy of the city as a whole.

After the opposition Lib Dems group again questioned the necessity of spending the cash at a time when public services are being cut, it sparked a new debate on the Sunderland Echo Facebook page.

Here's the two sides to the argument:

Jan Macleod: "Doubt they will make £4million profit, as I think this concert will be a flop. Won't be like previous concerts. Why give them £50,000 when Spice Girls will receive revenue from ticket sales, memorabilia, sponsors?"

Stephen O'Brien: "Do you think the promoters can't put the gig on because of £50k? No, people are moaning that the council cut £50k last year to support disabled kids getting to and from school. No one wants to stop the Spice Girls coming, we just want every penny of our money accounted for."

The Spice Girls will appear at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland as part of their 2019 Spice World tour.

Leigh Green: "£50,000 spend and £4,000,000 into the economy! Instead of rubbishing each other, I’d be interested in how the Lib Dems would generate and assist income into the city?"

Emma Martin: "I'm local(ish) and going to see them. I'll probs go out for my tea in Sunderland and have a few drinks, say £30? Then £20 taxi. I'm one of around 50,000 people going (bearing in mind I won't have a hotel etc.) So, if everyone only spends the £50 I put into Sunderland economy x 50,000 = £2.5million! Now remind me why we shouldn't invest 50k?!"

Sophie Dagg: "I'm local & also have tickets and guarantee I will spend the same, if not more! Very valid point. Some people just whinge if we have it and whinge if we don’t! The only people complaining are people who don’t wanna see the Spice Girls. If it was a group/band they liked it would be a good thing, I bet!"

Related: Taxpayers in Sunderland will be stumping up £50,000 to grease the wheels of the Spice Girls gig ... but is it money well spent?Paul Humble: "It will bring that money back 20 times over in trade to local businesses."

Glen Hamilton: "Taxi drivers, guesthouses, bars, takeaways, and more (mostly local) will all benefit from the concerts at the SOL. Some people need to see the bigger picture before waffling on."

Jack Murray: "The footfall for local businesses is going to be astronomical. People are moaning almost constantly about the council not investing in the local economy. £50k < £4m is a pittance for what it will do for those businesses."