Manchester City Council has rejected calls from the Equity union to use public funds to compensate artists and suppliers left unpaid after the liquidation of Manchester Pride Events (MPEL) Ltd last October. The union estimates over 50 performers are collectively owed more than £70,000, with individual amounts ranging from £150 to £5,000.
Union Renews Calls for Council Support
Equity, the union representing many of the unpaid performers, issued a statement renewing its call for the council to ensure financial compensation. The union’s North West Official, Karen Lockne, said: “In the run up to this year’s new Manchester Village Pride, we renew our call to Bev Craig – current leader of Manchester City Council and Labour’s candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester – to ensure performers who are owed money for last year’s Manchester Pride are paid for their work.”
Lockne noted that despite a council motion passed in November to “work constructively” with Equity, the union has not received updates on recouping money. She added that a follow-up meeting with deputy leader Garry Bridges, requested in February, has gone unanswered, and applications to suggested funds have not been updated.
Council's Position: Public Money Cannot Cover Commercial Debts
A Manchester City Council spokesperson said: “We are sympathetic to the plight of performers left unpaid after Manchester Pride Events (MPEL) Ltd collapsed last year. As we have consistently said, the council can't use public money to retrospectively meet the debts of a failed commercial organisation. But this doesn't mean we aren't continuing to explore every avenue we realistically can to help.”
The council stated it has put Equity in touch with organisations such as the Manchester Growth Company and its own hardship schemes, and is exploring creative ways to assist affected performers. The council also encouraged the administrator of MPEL to prioritise payments to performers.
Economic Impact and Council's Role
Lockne argued that the council, as an “active and involved partner” in the large-scale event, must “take some responsibility for the workers who have been wronged.” She referred to reports that Pride generates around £34 million annually for Manchester’s economy.
Drag queen Zahirah Zapanta, who appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and is among the unpaid performers, told the Manchester Evening News last year it was “really frustrating to put the work in and then be treated this way by what is one of the biggest Prides in the UK.”
New Manchester Village Pride for 2026
A new event, Manchester Village Pride, organised by a not-for-profit community interest company, has been established for the August bank holiday weekend. The council supported this rebirth, which includes a commitment to protect performers' pay to prevent a recurrence of the issue.
