Airshow 'could be enhanced' as councillors say it should remain a multi-day event
The Riviera Airshow could be expanded after a meeting last night looking at its future
Last updated 9th Aug 2023
The Riviera Airshow could be expanded to include events on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Last night a committee of Torbay councillors heard from business and tourism leaders as they looked at options for the event - which cost the council almost ÂŁ200,000 in June, double the original subsidy.
The cost to the taxpayer of the airshow was originally supposed to fall by ÂŁ10,000 each year until it paid for itself.
Following the meeting the committee are now recommending that more entertainment is offered at the event space on Paignton seafront - with local traders potentially given an early bird discount if they book spaces.
The committee are also recommending staging more evening entertainment and looking at ways to include Brixham and Torquay in the event going forward.
A detailed business case will now be drawn up, with a report going before the council's cabinet for a final decision.
It is believed the 2023 event was worth ÂŁ3.5 million to the local economy with ÂŁ1.8 of that new expenditure which was only spent as a result of the airshow.
This year 65,000 attended, with 36,000 on the Saturday and 29,000 on the Sunday.
Last night's discussions heard evidence about hotels being booked as a result of the multi-day format, with trade likely to be lost if the event was reduced to a single day.
The chair of the committee said he had been in contact with the volunteer organisers of the nearby Teignmouth Airshow which relies entirely on donations and sponsorship - and believes council subsidy could be cut with a different approach.
Click here for more about the different options for the airshow that were considered - including reducing it to a one-day event or letting a not-for-profit group take over the running