Battle of Flowers lost money in 2024, meeting told

Crowds cheer the Parish of St Helier's float in 2024

The annual Battle of Flowers lost money last year despite an increase in funding, a special meeting of the event's committee has heard.

The Government of Jersey gave organisers of the summer parade £270,000 - an increase of 80% on the funding awarded for 2023.

At a meeting at St Ouen's Parish Hall on Monday night, which was called following concerns about the event's finances, some of those involved last year said they had still not been paid their expenses.

Chairman Russell Labey said anyone still owed money would receive it in February.

Battle of Flowers chairman Russell Labey said organisers try to keep ticket prices affordable

Mr Labey said: "We're constantly having financial issues. We put on one of the best events we've ever done in 2024, but we lost money.

"We went up by 4,000 [spectators], but we can't put prices up as there aren't many events on this island and so we have a responsibility.

"We tried to keep some tickets really low, so that everybody can come."

Describing the job of chairman, Mr Labey said it was "tiring" and he would be happy for someone to take over.

He said: "They've asked me to do the job and I'll do it to the best of my ability.

"If there's somebody amongst the membership who'd like to have a go, I'll step aside and support them, no problem.

"I'd quite like a little bit of a break, but I'm not going to leave this lot [the exhibitors] in the lurch."