A report, commissioned by Glastonbury Festival, into the Festival’s economic impact, carried out by research specialists Fourth Street, found Glastonbury Festival to have a significant positive economic impact both nationally and in Somerset, generating around £168 million of income for UK businesses including £32 million for businesses based in Somerset. The report states that the total cost of putting on the 2023 Glastonbury Festival was approximately £62 million, paid across 922 organisations providing services to the Festival. Of this £62 m, just under £12 million was paid to 258 companies in Somerset. It then goes on to measure spend in…
Author: Andy Lenthall
In a major move, the Institute of Hospitality has forged a strategic partnership with the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), with the aim that the collaboration will assist both member organisations in better supporting their members on key industry issues. With the hospitality profession still under economic pressure, struggling to find staff and businesses fighting to survive on a daily basis, in the UK and beyond, the partnership announcement comes after the Institute last month helped raise the profile of the NTIA’s campaign to email MPs to cut VAT ahead of the Spring Budget. Although the industry didn’t receive an…
Despite recent cancellations, a report derived from the responses of UK Festival Awards voters and compiled by CGA Strategy, suggests that the festival industry is set to thrive, with a third of festival goers planning to visit more festivals in 2024, while a further half intending to maintain their visits. Operators agree with this optimism and expect ticket sales to increase by 10pp, taking total sales to 82%. Unsurprisingly, music is the key driver, with almost half of festival goers basing their decision to attend on the headliners, and more than half on the quality of the overall line-up. It’s…
Chiltern Arts has announced the theme, ‘Human Stories’ for its 2024 festival. From the 10th to the 17th of May, attendees will immerse themselves in a diverse array of exceptional musical performances, enthralling poetry readings, and engaging literature sessions. Musicians of the highest calibre, including The Gesualdo Six, I Fagiolini, violinist Fenella Humphreys, and the Carducci String Quartet, will take centre stage alongside literary stars of today Roger McGough and James Runcie. This year’s festival promises to captivate audiences of all ages, with a special focus on engaging young minds aged 9 to 14 through our innovative outreach initiative, ListenUp…
Kendal Calling has added another 50+ acts to its 2024 line-up including Lucy Spraggan, Charlotte Plank, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, A Certain Ratio, Sugababes, The Snuts, Feeder, Bilk, ADMT, Alfie Jukes, Future Utopia, HotWax and more. This includes stars of the main stage, Tim Peaks’ biggest-ever Kendal Calling billing, new names from the best in new music for Calling Out, dazzling world music from Chai Wallahs and laugh-out-loud comedy acts for The Soapbox. Kendal Calling is headlined this year by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Paolo Nutini, The Streets, Paul Heaton with guest singer Rianne Downey, and Keane. Over four days,…
BLOODSTOCK, by arrangement with Motörhead management, have announced that the legendary, late, great Lemmy Kilmister will be permanently memorialised at the heavy metal festival. Some of Lemmy’s ashes will be housed at BLOODSTOCK – one of only a few places globally – in a unique urn, with the festival commissioning a Bust of Lemmy to incorporate the ashes. Fans will be able to view the installation and pay tribute to Lemmy and his legacy in the RAM Gallery on site. Once the festival is over this August, the Bust of Lemmy will move to Nottingham’s Rock City, where fans will…
Barnfield Construction Limited have continued their support for Colne’s Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival by being named as main sponsors once again for what is one of Lancashire’s flagship events. The North West based contractors, developers and investors, have been financial supporters of the festival for several years, and were proud sponsors of the highly successful event in 2023, which saw over 25,000 people visit Colne over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Returning this year from 23rd-25th August, Colne Town Council in association with the Colne Blues Society are finalising plans for the 2024 festival, with the very best…
A recent AIF release says that 21 UK festivals have now announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure in 2024. Cotswolds-based Nibley Festival has announced that this year’s event will be its last, soon after Bradford’s Bingley Festival announced that its 2024 edition will not go ahead. Promoters of both festivals have cited rapidly rising production costs as the reason why running their event is no longer viable. The timing of this milestone suggests that the number of festival cancellations this year will far outstrip 2023, when a total 36 festivals cancelled before they were due to take place, according…
An innovative new lottery has been launched which encourages consumers to recycle used paper cups throughout the UK. In return for binning their cup at participating outlets, users can enter the free CupLotto® prize draw to win regular spot prizes and a weekly jackpot of £1,000. CupLotto® is the brain-child of circular economy experts, co-cre8 and technology pioneers, Peasy. co-cre8 already has deep experience in creating and managing programs to collect and recycle post-consumer materials, whilst Peasy uses innovative technology to boost consumer uptake and is the creator of LitterLotto1. CupLotto® can be played at any participating cup collection unit…
Five of Europe’s leading nightlife specialists have teamed up to present NightSchool, An EU wide training programme designed to support night culture producers early in their career. This transnational education programme will focus on environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The project sets to pair nightlife visionaries spanning promoters, bookers, venue owners, to hands-on creatives with industry veterans and experts from the European culture circuit. Funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe, NightSchool will select 15 participants, providing a grant of €5,000 each. This will go towards facilitating a week of peer-learning sessions in multiple cities as well as to launching…