(VIP-NEWS) — As of June 2024, the UK has seen 50 festivals both cancelled, postponed, or utterly shut down, a major improve from the 40 festivals reported in Could, in keeping with the Affiliation of Unbiased Festivals (AIF).
The most recent occasion to cancel its 2024 version is the Geronimo Competition in Northwich, scheduled for August 23-26. This family-friendly competition, also known as “Glastonbury for youngsters” by the Day by day Mirror, was extremely praised by British media.
The AIF warns that with out intervention, the UK may lose over 100 festivals in 2024 attributable to rising prices and monetary pressures. The entire variety of UK festivals which have disappeared since 2019 has now reached 182. The impression of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the lack of 96 festivals in 2020 and 2021 alone.
John Rostron, CEO of the AIF, described the cancellation of Geronimo Competition as “a regrettable milestone for the UK competition sector.” He emphasised that that is probably the most difficult time for impartial festivals, which urgently want intervention from the incoming authorities. “Our analysis means that round 100 festivals will throw within the towel earlier than the tip of the yr and extra will probably be in danger by 2025 except there’s the monetary help they want,” Rostron mentioned.
In response to those challenges, the AIF launched the ‘5% for Festivals’ marketing campaign in February 2024, advocating for a brief VAT discount on competition tickets to assist promoters. The marketing campaign goals to boost consciousness amongst festival-goers in regards to the difficulties confronted by promoters over the previous 5 years and encourages them to contact their native MPs to help a VAT discount on tickets. The AIF believes that decreasing VAT on competition tickets from 20% to five% quickly will assist competition promoters rebuild.
At present, the marketing campaign has been paused because the UK prepares for a basic election in early July. Nonetheless, the AIF continues to push for momentary fiscal help to avoid wasting the remaining festivals from closure.
The complete listing of misplaced festivals may be seen right here: Festivals Misplaced
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the loss of 96 festivals in 2020 and 2021 alone.John Rostron, CEO of the AIF, described the cancellation of Geronimo Festival as “a regrettable milestone for the UK festival sector.” He emphasized that this is the most challenging time for independent festivals, which urgently need intervention from the incoming government. “Our research suggests that around 100 festivals will throw in the towel before the end of the year and more will be at risk by 2025 unless there is the financial support they need,” Rostron said.In response to these challenges, the AIF launched the ‘5% for Festivals’ campaign in February 2024, advocating for a temporary VAT reduction on festival tickets to help promoters. The campaign aims to raise awareness among festival-goers about the difficulties faced by promoters over the past five years and encourages them to contact their local MPs to support a VAT reduction on tickets. The AIF believes that reducing VAT on festival tickets from 20% to 5% temporarily will help festival promoters rebuild.Currently, the campaign has been paused as the UK prepares for a general election in early July. However, the AIF continues to push for temporary fiscal support to save the remaining festivals from closure.The full list of lost festivals can be seen “/>