REPORT: 50 U.K. FESTS SCRAPPED THIS YEAR

While the British festival scene appears to be stable at the top thanks to evergreens like Glastonbury, Reading/Leeds and Download, 50 smaller events have been postponed, canceled or terminated in 2024, according to data from the Association of Independent Festivals.

Without intervention, the U.K. could see 100 festivals disappear this year due to the pressures of rising and unpredictable costs.

A whopping 96 events disappeared during the pandemic, 36 in 2023 and 50 so far in 2024. The total number of U.K. festivals that have been put on pause or closed since 2019 is 182. The Shindig festival in Somerset (the 2023 edition of which is pictured) will cease operations after this year due to venue changes and other business challenges.

AIF CEO John Rostron said that independent festivals “desperately need an intervention from the incoming government before more events inevitably fall.” The organization is asking for a temporary three-year VAT reduction on festival tickets, from 20% to 5%, that it says would save many event promoters from closure.

“This is the most challenging time for independent festivals,” said Rostron. “More will go into 2025 at risk if there is not the temporary fiscal support they need.”