Latest news with #BournemouthAirFestival
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What has happened to Bournemouth Air Festival?
As hopes of a 2026 edition of Bournemouth Air Festival fade, what factors have led to its demise, and will it ever return? The private air show operator that was expected to run the event on a 10-year contract has pulled out of talks. The major sticking point was its plan to close the promenade and seafront between the piers, which the council said it legally could not do. The US-based firm has also blamed the "instability of the financial and political climate" for its decision to withdraw. The free air festival was first held in 2008 and has taken place every August, with the exception of 2020 when Covid restrictions were in place. At its peak, it attracted about 1.3 million visitors to the seaside conurbation, and estimates of how much it annually contributed to the local economy vary from £14m to £59m. But the cost to the council has sky-rocketed in recent years, with hikes across insurance, security, infrastructure and counter-terrorism measures. Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) said its net budget for the four-day festival had risen from £300,000 in 2019 to £400,000 by 2022. New legislation brought in after the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing is also set to significantly increase costs for all organisers of public events. The authority, which has been run by a coalition since 2023, has already slashed millions from its budget as it grapples with a huge deficit for its special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services. Half a million people attended the final council-funded air show in 2024, which was scaled back from four days to three, with the final net cost to the council reaching £248,000. In the months that followed, officers explored two options - one was for a sponsor to foot the £400,000 bill of a council-run event, the other was for an external operator to run the air show at no cost to the authority. With no firm offers of sponsorship, but five potential operators raising their hand, things began to look up. But those early discussions led to just two firm expressions of interest and, with one of those requiring financial backing from the council, the initial flurry of enquiries quickly dwindled to a shortlist of one. BCP's destination and leisure councillor Richard Herrett said the prospective organisers had flown from the US to attend the 2024 event, but had drawn up a "wide range of requests that would have created significant financial pressures on the council". A report to BCP councillors said the plan to close off the beach and promenade between Boscombe and Bournemouth piers was to enable "a variety of hospitality offers ranging in price". But the authority said the firm's "non-negotiable" request presented legal difficulties, as fencing off the area would contravene the Open Spaces Act 1906. After the report was published, but before councillors met to discuss it, the company announced it was pulling out. In a letter read to councillors, the operator, whose name was redacted, said: "Several factors led us to this decision, with the most significant being that, without the ability to fence off and restrict access to a significant part of the beach and the surrounding areas, it would be challenging to create a financially sustainable event model. "The instability of the financial and political climate were also factors that would challenge us to deliver the event in a similar manner to our other events." Council leader Millie Earl said: "We are still open to any interest from potential operators or sponsors. "In the meantime, we remain invested in the cultural future of our beautiful area and are continuing to work with our partners and support others where we can." The council says its Bay Run, Arts By the Sea Festival and Christmas in Bournemouth events will still go ahead. But, with 12-months needed to organise the air show, any potential air show sponsor or operator would now be working towards 2027 at the earliest. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Bournemouth Air Festival in doubt as sponsor search ends In pictures: Bournemouth Air Festival 2024 BCP Council
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
What has happened to Bournemouth Air Festival?
As hopes of a 2026 edition of Bournemouth Air Festival fade, what factors have led to its demise, and will it ever return?The private air show operator that was expected to run the event on a 10-year contract has pulled out of major sticking point was its plan to close the promenade and seafront between the piers, which the council said it legally could not US-based firm has also blamed the "instability of the financial and political climate" for its decision to withdraw. The free air festival was first held in 2008 and has taken place every August, with the exception of 2020 when Covid restrictions were in its peak, it attracted about 1.3 million visitors to the seaside conurbation, and estimates of how much it annually contributed to the local economy vary from £14m to £ the cost to the council has sky-rocketed in recent years, with hikes across insurance, security, infrastructure and counter-terrorism measures. Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) said its net budget for the four-day festival had risen from £300,000 in 2019 to £400,000 by legislation brought in after the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing is also set to significantly increase costs for all organisers of public authority, which has been run by a coalition since 2023, has already slashed millions from its budget as it grapples with a huge deficit for its special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) a million people attended the final council-funded air show in 2024, which was scaled back from four days to three, with the final net cost to the council reaching £248, the months that followed, officers explored two options - one was for a sponsor to foot the £400,000 bill of a council-run event, the other was for an external operator to run the air show at no cost to the no firm offers of sponsorship, but five potential operators raising their hand, things began to look those early discussions led to just two firm expressions of interest and, with one of those requiring financial backing from the council, the initial flurry of enquiries quickly dwindled to a shortlist of destination and leisure councillor Richard Herrett said the prospective organisers had flown from the US to attend the 2024 event, but had drawn up a "wide range of requests that would have created significant financial pressures on the council".A report to BCP councillors said the plan to close off the beach and promenade between Boscombe and Bournemouth piers was to enable "a variety of hospitality offers ranging in price".But the authority said the firm's "non-negotiable" request presented legal difficulties, as fencing off the area would contravene the Open Spaces Act 1906. After the report was published, but before councillors met to discuss it, the company announced it was pulling a letter read to councillors, the operator, whose name was redacted, said: "Several factors led us to this decision, with the most significant being that, without the ability to fence off and restrict access to a significant part of the beach and the surrounding areas, it would be challenging to create a financially sustainable event model."The instability of the financial and political climate were also factors that would challenge us to deliver the event in a similar manner to our other events."Council leader Millie Earl said: "We are still open to any interest from potential operators or sponsors. "In the meantime, we remain invested in the cultural future of our beautiful area and are continuing to work with our partners and support others where we can."The council says its Bay Run, Arts By the Sea Festival and Christmas in Bournemouth events will still go with 12-months needed to organise the air show, any potential air show sponsor or operator would now be working towards 2027 at the earliest. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Bournemouth Air Festival in doubt as sponsorship search ends
The future of Bournemouth Air Festival is in doubt after the council voted not to actively pursue looking for new sponsors or Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council announced last year it would no longer fund the annual three-day event and it would not be held in August 2025.A council report said talks with a private operator had ended without authority said it would concentrate on alternative events but remained "open to any interest" from potential operators or sponsors. The air show ran as a free event from 2008 to 2024 and was estimated to have attracted up to one million people to the resort each year at its in August, attractions included the Red Arrows as well as other military and civilian aircraft displays over the costs meant the council ended its financial backing, with its contribution to the final event in 2024 reaching £248,000.A meeting of the council's Overview and Scrutiny Board heard the authority had pursued alternative means of funding and staging the event.A council report said sponsorship of £400,000 would be needed for the festival to go ahead but there had been no formal offers report also said the authority had been in negotiations with a potential operator over delivering a privately-run air show for the coming 10 it said the company had demands over commercialisation and hospitality, including closing part of the seafront, which could not be met. The committee voted to end further work by council staff on the air festival. Council leader Millie Earl said: "Over the past year, we have worked hard to engage a future operator and seek sponsorship for future air festivals but unfortunately this has so far been unsuccessful."We are still open to any interest from potential operators or sponsors. In the meantime, we remain invested in the cultural future of our beautiful area."She pointed to other events such as Bay Run, the Arts By the Sea Festival and Christmas in Bournemouth as creating a "vibrant economy for residents and visitors".The air festival was estimated to have generated up to £30m for the local economy each Radwell, chair of the BH Area Hospitality Association, said businesses had "benefited hugely" from the event."It's been a huge brand for the whole of Bournemouth and done great publicity - it's brought business off the back of it all year round."That's a huge loss to the area. It really put Bournemouth on the map," she added. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
