Experts warn UK festival season is under considerable threat this summer

Potentially terrible news for anybody hoping to dance like nobody’s watching at this summer’s festivals.

The head of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), the UK’s leading festival representative body, has hinted at a large scale operational disruption brought on by a combination of concerns such as workforce shortage, a live entertainment supply chain crisis & the fallout of Brexit, among other things.

Speaking at the trade body’s 2022 Festival Congress in Bristol, AIF CEO Paul Reed said: “We are facing a perfect storm in many ways.

“I’ve spoken with many festival organisers in the last few weeks about supply chains, loss of skilled workforce, 20-30 per cent increase in costs across the board, and a government-backed insurance scheme that isn’t simply isn’t fit for purpose despite our best efforts.”

Reed went on to mention several worrying points, including a potential 30% hike in costs for festival organisers- affecting staffing, materials, and increases in labour, as well as transport passed on by suppliers.

Ahead of the festival season, Reed has called on the UK government to provide continued VAT relief on festival tickets at 12.5% beyond March. He has also suggested creating a loan scheme for suppliers to relieve financial pressures and encourage investment within the UK’s festival supply chain.

Despite the sky-rocketing costs and resource issues that may leave festival organisers feeling like they’re staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, several key calendar dates have confirmed 2022 editions with bumper lineups, including Houghton, AVA, Creamfields, Parklife and many more.