Festivals scheduled to take place in England this summer are selling out at a rapid rate following the Government’s announcement of its roadmap out of lockdown last week.
Following the announcement last Monday (22nd Feb) that the live music and events industry would be gradually reopening in the coming months, including nightclubs and music venues being able to open from 21st June, festivals have begun sharing line-ups and launching ticket sales for summer events.
Several festivals have already sold out, some within hours of launching, including dance festivals Eastern Electrics, Field Day, Creamfields and Boomtown.
Paul Reed, chief executive of the Association of Independent Festivals told the Guardian: “Lots of our members have seen sale spikes since Monday, which has generated lots of consumer confidence. There is a huge appetite for live experiences and I don’t think that is surprising. It’s about communal experiences, being outdoors in groups.”
UK festivals are under threat of cancellation without Government insurance, The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) has said.
Following the announcement of the UK government s roadmap to reopening the hospitality and live entertainment industries in June, the AIF has warned that a number of festivals could be forced to cancel their 2021 events if they don’t receive Government-backed insurance and VAT intervention before the end of this month.
Published two days before the 2021 budget (1st March), the AIF said: This is the final countdown for many festival organisers, who will need to decide whether to commit significant costs by the end of the month if they are to stage events this year.
Updated: March 3, 2021, 4:23 pm
Music industry bosses say a Government-backed insurance scheme is needed (Ben Birchall/PA)
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The chief executive of UK Music has said he is “disappointed” a Government-backed insurance scheme for the music industry was not included in the Budget.
Jamie Njoku-Goodwin welcomed measures that were unveiled by Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Wednesday such as the extension of furlough, additional support for the self-employed and the VAT cut on ticket sales.
Sun, cider and no more social distancing? What to expect from UK festivals in 2021 David Ellis and Jochan Embley
It’s not a light on the horizon, but a mud-splattered welly and cidersoaked Ramones tee. The Prime Minister’s roadmap for a release from lockdown offers a little hope for culture-starved, Vitamin D-deprived music lovers: festivals will rise again.
And with the anniversary of lockdown feeling more like a centenary, even those of us who thought we’d long ago swapped squalid tents for hotel suites are salivating at the thought of negotiating portaloos and screaming along to songs we don’t know the words to long live the lost weekend.