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The Association of Independent Festivals says there were 600 UK music festivals in 2019, but under 500 remain in 2023Everyone who has been to one remembers their first music festival: from a post-exams celebration with friends at Reading and Leeds to seeing their guitar heroes headline Download as fireworks light up the night sky.
"Production costs are easily up 30% on average compared to 2019 prices. Some areas have seen a rise of up to 80%." The Covid pandemic and Brexit have also impacted the number of people who can be recruited for key roles, including security, further pushing up prices, Mr Rostron says. "We stepped back and decided, this isn't feasible any more and if we don't get off this conveyer belt, the quality of what we do is going to get worse."
The live music industry has also asked the government to reinstate a 5% VAT rate on tickets, which was originally put in place during the pandemic and which compares to the standard 20% rate, to help lower fees. "It makes planning really difficult as you've no idea what your final numbers are going to be," Mr Jones says.
AIF boss John Rostron says: "People go to their first festival at 16 to 18 years old, it's a rite of passage.
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