This weekend music fans will be flocking to the annual V Festival in anticipation of witnessing another fantastic event. If the weather stays dry it will be a bonus but even a drop of rain is unlikely to dampen their enthusiasm. Last year the festival attracted 85,000 people to the two host venues, but what is the impact of the festival on the wider economy?
V Festival was first held in 1996 following a remark by Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker that he would like to play two outdoor events in two days. In the intervening years it has become one of the key dates in the music calendar and second only to Glastonbury in terms of popularity. Headline acts have included Blur, Kings of Leon and Arctic Monkeys.
This year’s line-up sees the likes of the Stone Roses, Killers, Snow Patrol and Nicki Minaj taking to the stage at Weston Park in Staffordshire and Hylands Park in Essex. The festival also features the ever popular Madness, 1970s punk heroes the Stranglers and the legendary Tom Jones.
Catering and other on-site trading will generate significant income but there is also evidence to suggest that the event leads to an increase in turnover for local businesses and contributes between £6 and £7 million to the West Midlands economy alone.
The majority of fans between the ages of 19 and 34 stay overnight but older festival goers may prefer to stay in the vicinity and take a day ticket. This provides a boost for local hotels and guest houses. Other commercial properties such as shops, pubs and restaurants can also benefit from the event with some making the most of the opportunity by providing picnic food and meal offers.
In fact, in previous years, around 40 per cent of those surveyed said that V Festival has provided a boost to business with some reporting a doubling of trade during the duration of the festival. So with this year’s V about to begin, it isn’t only fans of Stone Roses and Nicki Minaj who are looking forward to the weekend.
I wish I was going to V this year. Well Jel.
So are we Kay. One of our Junior Web Developers has gone. We we are looking forward to the stories tomorrow, when she gets back in the office.