Plea for action as food and drink festival cancelled
ROCKETING COSTS BLAMED FOR SHOCK DECISION
HUDDERSFIELD MP Barry Sheerman has called for an emergency meeting with Kirklees Council leader Shabir Pandor after the organisers of Huddersfield’s food and drink festival dramatically cancelled it.
The event is fantastically popular and has put Huddersfield on the map with around 150,000 visitors attending St George’s Square over four days in early August.
But organisers say the festival has had to be cancelled this summer due to the long-lasting impact of Covid and the growing economic crisis.
They say they are struggling to get the major equipment needed such as marquees and the cost of everything is now rocketing. It is hoped to stage the event next summer in Greenhead Park and turn it into more of a community event.
Mr Sheerman said: “I am calling for an emergency meeting with the leader of Kirklees Council to try to rescue this event. It is so important for Huddersfield and shows the rest of the world that Huddersfield is an excellent place to come and enjoy the drink and food.
“Parents of prospective students at the University of Huddersfield enjoy coming to the town ahead of the new term and this is the perfect time for them to sample the town’s pleasures and this is the perfect opportunity to showcase what Huddersfield has to offer.
“I know the vice-chancellor Bob Cryan will be concerned and I hope he, ‘the big people’ in the town, Huddersfield Unlimited, Huddersfield Giants, business leaders, Huddersfield Town FC, the council and those at John Smith’s Stadium can come together and see whether something can be done to salvage it.
“This is a major event in our calendar and it’s important that we grasp every opportunity to keep it and I think the local authority should stand behind it.”
Organiser Sam Watt said: “We are facing huge logistical problems in terms of organising this year’s festival. We simply cannot pass all the spiralling costs onto traders as many have had a terrible time during the Covid lockdowns. Obtaining crucial equipment like marquees and generators is proving to be a nightmare as they are just not out there.
“We have all been trying for months but have ultimately been let down by events suppliers as they are reassessing their own businesses following Covid.
“We have worked so hard to put things in place to deliver a much-awaited event, but unfortunately with the current unpredictable economic position combined with difficulty within the events industry to source various services and infrastructure, the task has been immense.
“It would be unprofessional of us to deliver an event where traders, entertainers, volunteers, local businesses and visitors alike do not get the full benefit and professionalism we pride ourselves on.
“Combined all this with incredible increases in costs for everything right through to fuel and wages for security and we have had to come to the very sad and painful decision not to hold the festival this year.”
Sam said global uncertainty, difficulty getting products from China due to increasing problems with Covid there and the war in Ukraine are all contributing factors to the decision.
“It’s no secret that during the height of the pandemic the damage to traders, hospitality and the events industry was devastating,” she said.
“This is continuing to have aftereffects which are having an impact on businesses everywhere. Combined with the long Covid tail, inflation and the effects of global problems ranging from Ukraine to lockdowns in China, at this moment things are not easy for anyone privately or in business and are set to possibly become more difficult in the coming months.
“The size and popularity of our festival brings with it many logistical and financial hurdles that smaller events do not have, including all the supply uncertainties and the gathering inflationary storm about to hit all trading businesses along with general household expenses and people’s disposable income. This will all adversely affect our traders and visitors alike.”
But Sam stressed she was determined to make the 2023 event really special. She said: “We want to organise a fabulous community event next year in Greenhead Park where we can really celebrate what Huddersfield is about and make sure everyone is involved.”