The impact of COVID-19 on festivals and other live events has been devastating, the Island’s MP has said in response to an inquiry to examine the future of UK music festivals.
With this year’s pandemic stopping almost all major events, a House of Commons select committee has been looking at the work of the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and examining the future of the industry.
In response, Bob Seely MP has said:
“The Isle of Wight is Britain’s festival island and the impact of COVID-19 on festivals and live events has been devastating.
“I have made the case several times to Ministers of the importance of events and festivals and I am delighted that this powerful select committee, which examines the work of the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, has agreed that we need an urgent investigation into what can be done to help festivals.
“I spoke to Julian Knight MP, Chair of the Committee, earlier this week about the importance of festivals and I have agreed to work with him and other MPs to press Government to ensure that festivals can begin to plan for next summer. This is likely to centre around the concept of Pool Reinsurance; additional insurance, which is then backed by Government. I want our festivals to be able to start planning for a new normal, secure in the knowledge that there is viable insurance should events have to be postponed for whatever reason.”
“The Committee is inviting any interested parties to submit written evidence addressing the terms of reference that can also be found through this link: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/779/the-future-of-uk-music-festivals/. Written evidence will be accepted until Weds 9 December 2020.
“Please do submit your evidence directly to the committee on the link above and please also feel free to send your evidence to my office.
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Sarah Moss, Organiser of the Island’s Jack Up The Summer festival, has said:
“We remain absolutely determined to return in 2021, however even with the welcomed news of a vaccine, the Events Industry has lost an entire year’s income therefore the stakes are very high.
“A Government-backed insurance scheme would make a huge difference in allowing our sector to rebuild: providing Event Organisers with the necessary confidence to plan, and ensuring we can continue to provide enjoyment to both Islanders and Island visitors for many years to come”.
I have come to the conclusion that the Governments intentions are simply to break the spirits of people and to decimate the economy. The purpose? To make you reliant and dependant on the Party… Look to China. That is their model.
More RI baseless scaremongering. We remain a democracy and continue to have a democratic election process in place. All countries hold their own approach to containing the virus, it does not equate to adopting a tyrannical regime.
The impact of COVID-19 on festivals and other live events has been devastating, the Island’s MP has said
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Well…todays prize for stating the obvious goes to Bob
While it may be obvious to us, it is probably not obvious to the Dept for Culture, Media & Sport.
Devastating really ? losing your job , your home , your health or even worse that is devastating . What a thoughtless and tactless statement to make just shows how Bob Seely thinks.
Lot’s of companies and people that work in this industry have lost jobs and their home.
This is his best yet…….. but it’s all right for him to attend a BBQ and chomp on a sausage during the last lockdown, isn’t a BBQ an event. Who needs the festival now anyway, only Giddings another person on the take.
The hundreds of small companies that contract and supply the festival need the festival??? IW Festival is a major income for many small events companies on the Island. Sooooooooo, I’m guessing thats who need the festival.
Yeah small companies that charge rip-off prices inside the site. As if the ticket price is not expensive enough. Must cost a lot to have security on the gates to stop people brining in their own food and drink too. Enough said!
Well said
Iow festival is crap compare to Glastonbury/ reading festival hope it never comes back
And yet he’s against Diamond Races!
I dont know anyone who is for Diamond Races.