The Boldmere Christmas Festival in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, has been cancelled for the second consecutive year after the town council declined to provide funding to cover a financial deficit.
The event, which runs along the high street, costs approximately £24,000 to stage, covering road closures, insurance, security and first aid. Income from rides, markets and street food vendors generates only around £14,000, leaving a shortfall of about £10,000.
Organisers accuse council of refusing funding
According to Boldmere Futures CIC, the event organisers, Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council voted to refuse the funding needed to cover the deficit. The organisers said in a Facebook post that they "weren't offered a penny" by the council, with the reason given that "the festival was not financially sustainable".
The market is not officially ticketed, but visitors can pay an entrance fee at their own discretion, with all money going towards the costs of running the festival.
Paul Long, Chairman of the not-for-profit group Boldmere Futures CIC, accused the council, which he claims has £6m in reserves, of cancelling the "largest cultural event in Sutton Coldfield".
Local reaction and business impact
Dozens of disappointed locals reacted to the cancellation on Facebook, with many agreeing it will be a considerable loss to the town. Steve Gibson said: "Scrooge is alive and well". Debra Jeffs added: "So disappointing, can it be appealed? Always enjoy this and the summer one. People need more of this for the community, not less."
Bill Baker put: "So sorry to read this. When we lived in Boldmere, we loved the big street parties and celebrations." Helena Simone agreed: "Gutted about this! The Boldmere summer and Christmas festivals are generally my favourite events to bring my business to! Great day always! Such a shame."
Local businesses also reacted, including Craft Bits, who wrote: "Gutted. I was hoping to do another stall there this year."
Council response and organisers' statement
In an email to The Sun, the council said "the decision to cancel the Boldmere Christmas Festival is a matter for the organisers, Boldmere Futures CIC."
Long said: "The Town Council has about £6m in reserves and has increased your precept by 50% over 2 years so that they now get £3m per year. They have launched a Cultural Strategy which has cost tens of thousands of pounds in consultant and staff costs, yet cancelled the largest cultural event in Sutton Coldfield."
He added: "Unfortunately, we are dealing with politicians rather than professional funders and so it doesn't matter how good our bids for funding and the outcomes we deliver are. The town councillors have always been jealous of the community we have built up in Boldmere. We have now hit a brick wall."
After 15 years since it was started by the then Boldmere Traders' Association, Long said it now seems there will be no Christmas Festival in Boldmere unless alternative funding can be found. He described it as "a big blow for our high street that relies upon events like this to remain open and yet all they get from the town council is a few dull flowers, wi-fi that is not needed and the occasional visit from town rangers."
The festival was "always an opportunity for members of the public to have some fun together as a community, for local small businesses to sell their artisan products and for new businesses to try out a low cost artisan market stall", Long said. Each year, the group has "politely begging the Town Council to spend just 0.5% of YOUR funds on the Christmas Festival using their overly complex grants process", meeting demands such as putting the council's logo on every message and having the mayor go on stage first to give a speech.
