Latitude Festival WILL go ahead on July 23 as organisers say they are gearing up for summer schedule after delayed Freedom Day on July 19
- Latitude Festival in Henham Park, Suffolk, will go ahead between 23 and 25 July
- Festival Republic director said he ‘can see no reason’ why festival can’t go on
- ‘Freedom Day’ was initially set to be on June 21, but was delayed to July 19
- Now, social distancing will remain in force in bars and restaurants until July 19
Latitude Festival will go ahead next month with the industry ‘all guns blazing’ from ‘Freedom Day’, organisers confirmed.
The rave in Henham Park, Suffolk, will go ahead between Friday 23 and Sunday 25 July – with acts including Kaiser Chiefs, Rudimental and Rick Astley.
Managing director of promoter Festival Republic Melvin Benn said he ‘can see no reason’ why the much-anticipated weekend cannot go ahead as planned after the Government pushed back lifting lockdown restrictions.
‘Freedom Day’ was initially set to be on June 21, but was delayed by four weeks to prevent up to 500 deaths a day after scientists warned the Indian variant could be 80 per cent more infectious.
Now, social distancing will remain in force in bars and restaurants, and the edict to work from home where possible will stay until July 19.
Latitude Festival (pictured in 2019) will go ahead next month with the industry ‘all guns blazing’ from ‘Freedom Day’, organisers confirmed
Managing director of Festival Republic Melvin Benn (pictured) said he ‘can see no reason’ why the much-anticipated weekend cannot go ahead as planned after the Government pushed back lifting lockdown restrictions.
Mr Benn told Radio 4’s Today Programme that he’s ‘very certain’ that Latitude will go ahead, adding: ‘I can see no reason why we shouldn’t be planning to go ahead from the 19th onward.’
He said: ‘It’s certainly our industry’s view that we are all guns blazing from the 19th onward and we are now of the view that we need to be told not to go ahead as oppose to where we were, waiting to be told that we could go ahead.
‘It is our view that the Prime Minister has told us we can go ahead now.’
But some independent festival organisers fear a lack of financial support from the Government could force cancellations.
The rave in Henham Park, Suffolk, will go ahead between Friday 23 and Sunday 25 July – with acts including Kaiser Chiefs, Rudimental and Rick Astley. Pictured: Latitude Festival in 2019
Mr Benn told Radio 4’s Today Programme that he’s ‘very certain’ that Latitude (pictured in 2019) will go ahead, adding: ‘I can see no reason why we shouldn’t be planning to go ahead from the 19th onward’
Rock star Peter Gabriel’s hit world-music festival Womad may not go ahead as planned due to funding issues, the Genesis frontman warned yesterday.
Womad was founded by the singer in 1982 and quickly became a firm favourite with families – featuring activities for children alongside acts from Africa, the Americas, Pan-Asia and Europe.
The three-day event at Charlton Park, Wiltshire, is also a hit with celebrities – including Prince Harry who was spotted there in 2013.
But Womad’s future could be in jeopardy, with Gabriel calling on the Government to offer ‘support for independent festivals particularly’, as well as the whole sector.
Without additional backing – such as an underwriting scheme – it will likely be forced to cancel, he added saying: ‘We can’t risk sinking it this year.’
Rock star Peter Gabriel’s (pictured) hit world-music festival Womad may have to be cancelled this year if the Government doesn’t offer financial support, the Genesis frontman warned
Gabriel told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday: ‘If we’re trying to restore cultural life and normality then we do need a bit of help here.
‘It’s a huge industry now and we would like to get some confidence and security from something like an insurance scheme, some sort of underwriting scheme.’
Asked if festivals should become part of the pilot scheme on large events, he said: ‘It’s very difficult and obviously we want to be included, the vaccine programme has been amazing.
‘If we can just lock those in and get some support for independent festivals particularly, but all the festival sector, then I think we can have a great summer.’
The three-day event (pictured in 2019) eventually gained cult status and became a hit with celebrities – including Prince Harry who was spotted there in 2013
Asked whether organisers will have to cancel the festival this year without support, he said: ‘I think we have to. We’ve been faced with bankruptcy on two occasions previous to that and if we’re trying to secure the future of the festival… we can’t risk sinking it this year.’
In previous years, acts have included reggae, soul, alternative rock, hip hop, and old- school rock n roll.
Womad – which stands for World of Music, Arts and Dance – combines acts with a range of workshops, with cooking at the World Cafe, drumming, singing, Tai Chi lessons, face painting for children and a ‘Speakeasy’ featured in previous years.
But Womad’s (pictured in 2010) future could be in jeopardy, with Gabriel calling on the Government to offer ‘support for independent festivals particularly’, as well as the whole sector
Treasury minister Jesse Norman said ‘an enormous amount of money’ has already been poured into the arts during the pandemic, when asked if a Government-backed insurance scheme could be introduced to support festivals.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘I think the answer to that question is the Government has already poured an enormous amount of money into the arts and culture sector, so it’s important to recognise what has already been done.’
Pressed if the underwriting insurance will be considered, Mr Norman said: ‘Of course the Government continues to monitor the way in which restrictions are playing out, and this is a matter for discussion, as the Culture Secretary has said, it’s a matter for the sector to address with him.’
It comes as MPs warned UK music festivals are facing another ‘lost summer’ because of the Government’s ‘refusal to back insurance’ for events at risk of being cancelled because of Covid-19 restrictions.
Members of the digital, media, culture and sport committee are calling for ministers to ‘act now’ and provide a ‘safety net’ for live events after June 21.
They want a ‘time-limited insurance scheme’ introduced to help the festivals out. But the committee said the Government’s decision to rule out support before all roadmap restrictions are lifted would be ‘simply be too late for festivals this summer’.
Committee chairman Julian Knight said: ‘If the commercial insurance market won’t step in, ministers must, and urgently.’
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