Download boss is ready to rock again next year
ORGANISER CONFIDENT FESTIVAL WILL RETURN IN 2022
BUSINESSES in Castle Donington which rely on a boost to the local economy during the annual Download Festival will be out of luck for the second year in a row.
The announcement that Download 2021 will not go ahead in early June, hot on the heels of the 2020 festival being cancelled, will hit local eating venues, transport companies, hotels and B&Bs in the pocket once again.
Almost 100,000 people come to Donington Park for the festival each year and this brings financial benefits that are noticeably missing when it does not take place.
Download organiser Andy Copping is acutely aware of the impact no festival will have on the area and says the regular contact he and his team have with people in Castle Donington has revealed how disappointed everyone is.
He said: “We know Download brings a real boost commercially to everyone each year and, of course, everyone was ready for the 2020 festival to go ahead and then it was cancelled at the end of March last year as the pandemic and lockdown took hold.
“We were really in uncharted waters then but everyone was very supportive, including people around the festival site.
“No-one could have predicted it would happen again, yet that is where we are now.”
Mr Copping said cancelling now has given everyone more time to adjust and also a longer lead time to organise the festival for 2022 with the headliners already in place - KISS, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro.
He said: “A couple of weeks ago, we said it did not look like any festival would go ahead this year and it was all doom and gloom.
“And then after the road map out of lockdown was announced last week, even though we realised it would all be too late for Download, suddenly everything looks much better and we are confident for 2022.
“I believe that the vast majority of the people in Castle Donington welcome the festival each year.
“We had hoped we would be back this year but now at least we can tell people we are working towards next year.
“Our conversations will continue with local authorities and organisations. Two years in a row was unthinkable but we have to deal with it and get stuck in.” One thing that has reassured Mr Copping about the future is that people appear to want to go out again to festivals and won’t be afraid to mix when the time comes. He said: “Leeds, Reading and Creamfields festivals, are all hoping to go ahead later in the year and as soon as they put their tickets on sale they were sold out, which is hugely encouraging.
“The vaccine and people being sensible mean we are heading in the right direction.
“I am looking forward to booking the rest of the 2022 bill over the next few months and also starting to book for tours generally later this year.
“It might seem a bit sad for Download at the moment but there is a silver lining.” Tickets for June 10-12, 2022, go on general sale from 10am on Friday, March 5, but people can keep tickets for 2021 and use them next year instead or get a refund.
Full details about tickets and 2022 are available on the festival website www.downloadfestival.co.uk