Decision on Bournemouth Air Festival's future to be delayed
BCP Council say they need an extra month to complete a review
It'll be at least another month before a final decision's made on holding the Bournemouth Air Festival next year.
BCP Council is using the extra time to talk with businesses about ways to fund the event.
Meanwhile, a provisional date's been set for an air festival next year as bids for military aircraft, have had to be made to meet deadlines set by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
If the Festival goes ahead, it'll take place between Thursday 29th August and Sunday 1st September 2024.
Portfolio Holder for Connected Communities and Tourism, Cllr Millie Earl said:
“Currently, there is a £44m shortfall in the 2024-25 council budget and the Bournemouth Air Festival is a major event in the calendar for 2024.
“In view of the financial pressures on the council and at a time when cost of living pressures continue to affect our everyday services and the budgets of our residents, we are looking at a reduced cost for Bournemouth Air Festival in 2024 and are exploring ways to make it sustainably funded.
“The working group has identified and assessed lots of opportunities, but as this is a complex situation, we will be taking one more month to ensure the right decision is made in the most robust and diligent way.
“We understand that the air festival is an important part of the season for hoteliers in Bournemouth and that they start to prepare for the forthcoming year’s bookings way in advance, but to balance these needs with the costs borne by residents we need to explore all funding alternatives thoroughly.
“We would like to thank those in our business community who have been working with us on exploring these options. These conversations have proven extremely useful and have been a crucial part of our partnership working.
“Together we are doing everything we can to make the festival vibrant and interesting, working with stakeholders and partners to do so.”