The long-term future of the iconic Isle of Wight Festival at Seaclose Park is set to be considered by the Isle of Wight Council’s Cabinet, with a new 5-year deal proposed at a cost to festival organisers of £86,700 a year.
Following negotiations, the proposed terms of a new land hire agreement between the Isle of Wight Council and Isle of Wight Festival Ltd are due to go before senior councillors on 9th February.
The proposal includes a new 5-year land hire agreement to stage the festival at Seaclose Park up to and including 2027. This will come with a fee of £86,700 per year with yearly increases linked to inflation for the use of council land.
Furthermore, the traffic management arrangements at Halberry Lane, as well as the management of the west bank of the River Medina and the river estuary, will be at cost to the Festival saving the council almost £30,000.
A separate agreement has been made with Medina leisure centre and Festival organisers must put up a £100,000 bond for any reinstatement works.
Festival organisers have also agreed to work with the council to start a new community, tariff-based ‘green fund’ to support local projects and activities linked to carbon reduction.
Councillor Julie Jones-Evans, Cabinet member for Levelling Up, regeneration, business development and tourism, said:
“The Isle of Wight Festival aims to become one of the world’s most sustainable music events, which absolutely fits into our Mission Zero Climate and Environment Strategy.
“The festival is considered to have had a major economic benefit to the Island, providing us with a worldwide profile as both a tourist destination and a place to invest which, if lost, would be difficult to replicate.
“A new five-year agreement would provide confidence in the festival continuing to be staged in the longer term to the benefit of the local economy.”
Subject to Cabinet approval, the director of regeneration in liaison with the Cabinet member will conclude the details of the agreement.
Medina College and festival organisers have negotiated a separate agreement for the use of the school’s land.
We know what the IWC charge, but how much does it spend to hold the event .. Giddings makes millions .. you never see that info being made public …
What a joke, mission zero climate, so where does all that electricity come from to run everything on site, bloody great generators, all pumping fumes into the atmosphere. But never mind it’s all good for the island. NOT. Giddings and co. don’t have any interest in what the island needs or wants. Just drop the idea, there is no one worth having at this waste of time event anyway.
Love going to this event each year great advertisement for the island. Who cares if Giddings makes a lot of money he is the one taking all the risk.
The Isle of Wight Festival aims to become one of the world’s most sustainable music events, which absolutely fits into our Mission Zero Climate and Environment Strategy.
really – so how much extra fuel do the buses/taxi’s/ferries burn to bring all these people to the island and get them to the site.
how much extra energy is used, dealing with all the waste the festival generates.
there is nothing green about this festival at all – they are as hypocritical as the business clowns and royalty arriving at climate events in private jets to talk about carbon emission reduction
Yes I agree, at least, people should be Encouraged to leave their fossil fuel vehicles at home
You sad git
Many of the fields used as Festival carparks would surely be perfect for wind turbines. It’s certainly windy, the fields could still be grazed by sheep and used as a carpark once a year. I would love to see the majestic turbines and also to benefit from cheap electricity. I don’t believe in the nonsense about the noise, or killing birds… cats, cars and rat poison do that. Please, Council and Mr Giddings, bring on the turbines!
Why are we letting them have it so cheaply? The farmland owner at Glastonbury only concentrates on the festival now and the town with the money he makes. Love to know who the negotiator is.
(ALLOW ALLOW)…..You stupid woman..
I would like to see £250,000 as the minimum the IW Council receive from the Festival.
£86,700 is a joke.