Call for tax breaks to support festivals
There are calls for tax relief and lower VAT on tickets to support the festival industry. The East Anglian Festivals Network (EAFN) says 25 events across the region have been cancelled in 2025. Amongst the most notable was the Cambridge Folk Festival, run by Cambridge City Council. Papers published by the council show the event made a loss on £320,000 in 2024. The EAFN, which works with councils and other festival organisers, say costs are increasing, making it difficult for organisers to run a financially sustainable event.
Papers published by the city council earlier this year said the Folk Festival "incurred a provisional loss of £0.32m". Pre-pandemic it typically returned "an average profit of over £0.2m". The profit then funded free community events in the city. The council said that "while revenues have remained broadly stable, costs have increased significantly as they have for the whole of the UK festival sector".Those sentiments are echoed by Mike Wilson from EAFN. Talking to the BBC's Politics East programme, he said the 25 events in the region were cancelled "mainly due to the financial impact," predominantly caused by the rate of inflation.He is supporting a call for the government to lower VAT to 5% for festival tickets, to give the industry a boost. He would also like tax relief for festivals, similar to that which theatres can benefit from.
The loss of festivals is having a huge impact on grass roots music according to Justine Hatfield, who works with local musicians. She has worked and performed at the Folk Festival and Strawberry Fair, which was also cancelled in 2025. "For up and coming artists it's a place where they can show off their talents, meet other artists, collaborations are formed and so without it there is a big gap." She also ran The Flying Pig, a now closed down pub, which was famous for live music.
Strawberry Fair is a volunteer run event which is free to attend. Like the Folk Festival, it is an event where many up and coming artists get experience of performing to large crowds. Organisers took the decision to cancel the 2025 event after costs, most notably transport and fuel, increased significantly. Committee member, Mark Evans, said they were determined to bring the fair back for 2026 but were having to think about how they raise the money. This could include sponsorship, something the fair has previously avoided.
The Cambridge Folk Festival is worth around £2m to the local economy, according to a local councillor. Tim Bick leads the Liberal Democrat opposition at the city council. He said the council have still incurred losses in 2025 after cancelling the festival due to things like consultancy fees, maintaining websites and running related community events. He said he really hopes it will make a return next year. "The event itself is a shared experience. It's a bit of a buzz and excitement. And so many of these things in a tough world are falling away, but valued so much."
Festivals not taking place in 2025
According to the East Anglian Festivals Network these are the festivals that are not taking place this year. CambridgeshireStrawberry fairCambridge Club and Strawberries and Creem FestivalCambridge folk festivalSt Neots FestivalYaxley FestivalOn the Green Festival Peterborough (new but cancelled)EssexManningtree Earth FestivalGDSS Great Dunmow Summer SolsticeLittle scarlet festival TiptreeHertfordshireHoovesfest HertfordStone valley festival southWannasee South - WareNorfolkDeepdale HyggeDeepdale FestivalGt Yarmouth arts festHolt FestivalSundownWyverstone Beer & Music FestivalHRH AORBreckfestSuffolkSuffolk Walking FestivalGlobal Rhythm IpswichPrimadonna Festival StowmarketWyverstone beer and music festivalLow Collective Car Show Ipswich
Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.BBC Politics East will be broadcast on Sunday 15 June at 10:00 GMT on BBC One in the East of England, and will be available after broadcast on BBC iPlayer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
I had affair with married man 20 years older & was branded a home wrecker – if Louis Tomlinson was a woman he'd be too
WHEN Soccer Aid kicked off tonight, all eyes should have been on the football pitch. Instead, attention and speculation has been swirling around the love triangle between Zara McDermott, Sam Thompson and Louis Tomlinson. 7 In a very awkward line-up, love rivals Sam and Louis were supposed to be playing on the same England team during the big charity match for Unicef against a World XI Then, in a last-minute curveball on Friday, Sam pulled out, citing injury. Given that he recently completed a 260-mile marathon over five days for Unicef, you could say it's not surprising he had an injury. Sam had been determined to take part in the match even after his gruelling marathon, telling his This Morning colleague Alison Hammond: 'I'm still very sore, still got the torn calf. However, I am here at Soccer Aid HQ and it does not get better than this.' But you can't help feeling he was sore in more ways than one — and it's his feelings that have really been injured. I can't imagine being in such close proximity to a love rival. I'd avoid it at all costs. And we all know there is no such thing as 'letting bygones be bygones'. But when Love Islander Zara 's ex-partner Sam and current boyfriend Louis were pictured in training last week, it was all macho smiles, back-slapping and in Sam's words 'no hard feelings'. If One Direction singer Louis was a woman, he wouldn't get such an easy ride. Romantic getaways This display of male solidarity highlighted the double standards in society. I don't need to look far to imagine how the narrative would have played out if these two were women. Sam would be the victim and Louis would be dragged across hot coals, regardless of whether or not there had been a crossover between the two relationships. No matter how long they left it before starting their romance, fingers would be pointed and the new woman would somehow be to blame for the break-up. I know, as I've had the 'homewrecker' label chucked at me while my lover faced little criticism. Not a word has been said against Louis, as far as I can see. And despite the whole world knowing that Louis got the girl, Sam is determined not to lose face. The I'm A Celebrity winner did his best happy-go-lucky impression, showboating and grinning his way through training for Soccer Aid and pretending he didn't care that his ex's new lover was there. I was 'mistress' of a married man so wife's pals harassed me. Emma Woolf It is the blokey thing to do — they don't want to appear the loser in the game of love. They use every macho weapon in the arsenal to avoid denting their pride. They pretend they don't mind that their best mate copped off with the girl they had fancied for years, or a cousin had a fling with their wife when they were going through a rocky patch. 7 7 But Sam and Zara, who split in January, were together for more than five years. Deep down, like anyone else whose long-term partner has moved on so quickly and so publicly, it must burn. Zara was pictured with Louis by March and they were official soon after. At first, many dismissed her new relationship with the singer. But there's no doubt it is for real — and things are hotting up. Louis has been flying Zara around the world on a series of romantic getaways. On Thursday night she was sharing pictures of her home-made 'creamy salmon pasta' with Louis' guitar visible in the background. You wouldn't blame Sam if he was feeling devastated, betrayed and angry. The public aspect of this heartbreak adds a whole new level of humiliation. And you can only imagine how Sam felt at the training camp — in the changing room, in team pep-talks and at dinner with Louis, whom Zara is now obviously heads-over-heels for, with all their team-mates well aware of the situation. His injury has come at a convenient time, as it saves him the humiliation of having the world's media pore over their every glance or backslap during the match. Sam and Louis seem to have assumed they could swagger through. Emma Woolf If this were two women, one would be the sinner, her reputation dragged through the mud. The trolls would be out in force, calling her a trashy slut and trawling through her dating history, regardless of whether there was any actual overlap. I remember the reaction to Kristina Rihanoff taking up with her Strictly partner Ben Cohen, with the pro Russian dancer insisting they got together after Ben split from his wife Abby. She was called a homewrecker and there were calls for her to be axed from the show, but Kristina called out the double standards. In 2005, when Hollywood's golden couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston split, everyone took sides. His new lover Angelina Jolie was crucified in public as the most predatory, husband-stealing female alive — even though at the time, Brad and Jolie had not confirmed whether their relationship had started before or after he broke up with Aniston. Whether you were for Jen or Ange was a defining cultural moment. And yet Brad Pitt, who was the married one (not Angelina) escaped with his reputation intact, if not bolstered. Once again, double standards. I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end, having had an affair with a married man 20 years my senior. And I can tell you it's always the woman's fault. As the much younger, single 'mistress' I was insulted and harassed by friends of the wife, whereas my married lover just got gentle warnings from his mates. Blokey banter Despite the fact I'd told him I would not get involved with him while he was with his wife, the blame was cast squarely on me, not him. Although there's no evidence of any overlap between Zara's two relationships, and no proof of infidelity, the gap between her two men wasn't exactly respectful. Women are made to feel so much shame that the idea of encountering your love rival face to face is excruciating. Sam and Louis seem to have assumed it would be fine, they could swagger their way through. No woman would have had the gall to be in the same public space as their lover's recent ex. Female love rivals tend to avoid, and spurn, each other, doing anything they can to dodge crossing paths. If I were Zara, I'd be squirming right now. There's nothing more embarrassing than the thought of your exes discussing you. Worse, the idea of them possibly comparing notes in the blokey banter of the football changing room. Timeline of Louis Tomlinson's love life Here we delve into Louis' love life since his rise to fame in One Direction. Hannah Walker - Louis' first girlfriend, who he dated in 2010. They split in 2011 as his band One Direction took off and the long distance romance was too much for them. Eleanor Calder - The pair dated on and off from 2011 to 2022. They were first photographed kissing at the London Olympic Games in 2012. Briana Jungwirth - Louis dated American Briana in 2015 and they have a son named Freddie, who was born in 2016. Sofie Nyvang - Louis was rumoured to be in a relationship with Danish model Sofie in February 2023. They split two months later in April 2023. Two women, trapped in the same awkward love triangle, wouldn't even have attempted to play on the same sports team. So while Zara squirms, we have one victor in this battle. Louis might have done the gentlemanly thing and withdrawn from the team, instead of Sam. He might have shown some humility, or sensitivity, when they met in the public glare. But all's fair in love and war, and for now he's the winner. Not only does he have Zara waiting at home for him, he's even got her creamy salmon pasta.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Helen Flanagan strips down to sexy lingerie in sizzling shoot after splitting from boyfriend
HOT AS HEL Fans swooned over the stunning new lingerie snaps HELEN Flanagan has left fans with their jaws on the floor after stripping down to sexy lingerie. For a brand new sizzling shoot after spitting from her boyfriend, the former Coronation Street actress stripped off and almost bared all. 4 4 The 34-year-old mum of three shared the slew of glossy and sultry snaps on Sunday night. Sitting on some dark wooden floor panels, Helen leaned back as she posed up a storm for the camera. Wearing a stunning pink lingerie set, the blonde bombshell left little to the imagination as she showed off her sensational figure and slender curves. The lingerie set comprised of a nude and pink mesh plunge bra, a tiny thong and a matching suspender belt around her waist. She completed the sexy look with some blush pink sheer stockings. Helen kept her makeup in-keeping with the pastel theme and rocked a muted look. With fluffy brows, accentuated eyes and a pink glossy lip, Helen pouted up a storm and smized for the camera. "Always a pink girl," she penned in the caption which promoted her new lingerie collection. Fans went wild in the comments, with one person writing: "Absolutely stunning!!" Another swooned: "God your gorgeous Helen!" "Make the boys wink," said a third. "You are absolutely incredible Helen," gushed a fourth. A fifth then said: "Looking hot." And a sixth admitted: "I keep dropping my phone because of your posts." Helen recently split from Robbie Talbot after a year of dating. She told the ex sports ace things "weren't working" after a year together - and after initially saying she wanted his kids. Friends now say the mum of three instead now wants to concentrate on her career and family. A source told us: 'They want different things in life. She has just landed a new acting job and is trying to juggle work projects with the kids. "She sat him down two weeks ago and said, 'This isn't working'. It was a grown-up chat. 'She just wants to be on her own for a while although she still has feelings for him.' Helen split from Scott Sinclair, the dad of her three kids, in 2022.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Lily Allen seen on ‘date' with top Brit TV star at festival after joining dating app
SMILING Lily Allen pulls on her jacket as she enjoys a 'first date' with actor James Norton at a festival. Onlookers said Lily, 40, appeared smitten with newly single James, 39, who split from his model girlfriend last month. 4 4 4 4 The pair, who both use celebrity dating app Raya, were spotted together at the Lido Festival in East London throughout Saturday. They shunned VIP areas to watch artists together, including Charli XCX. An eyewitness told The Sun: 'Lily and James appeared to be on a date. They were together for the day and were chatting and laughing together as they watched Charli XCX. 'Lily was leaning into him at one point. She and James seemed really relaxed together and she was really making him giggle. 'They were drinking non-alcoholic beer and queued at the bar like all the other punters. People were doing double-takes when they saw them together. 'Because they're both on Raya it seems like they might have matched with each other. 'And Lido is a great first date because there is so much to do.' Pop star Lily split from her Stranger Things actor husband David Harbour, 50, last year. The mum of two reactivated her Raya account after the break-up. She joked in her profile that she was 'looking for someone to start couple's therapy with'. Happy Valley star James briefly dated model Charlotte Rose Smith, 25, but they quietly ended their romance this year. Last month his profile was also spotted on Raya, with a handful of pictures. James was engaged to actress Imogen Poots, 36, but the pair split in 2023. He hinted their break-up was not his doing, Lily has thrown herself into work since her marital split — including a starring role in a new production about destructive aristocrat Hedda Gabler at Bath's Theatre Royal. She had a pop at her exes earlier this year, saying: 'I don't think there has been one person that has been remotely interested in my pleasure.'
