Bournemouth Air Festival: Council delays decision on event's future

The event has previously been subsidised by taxpayers, the council said

Discussions over the future of Bournemouth's air festival will continue for a month longer than planned, the council has said.

Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) is considering how to finance the free, annual, four-day event amid a £44m budget shortfall.

A recommendation was originally due to go to its cabinet on 25 October.

The council said the extra month would allow time to explore all financial options with the business community.

The air festival attracts about a million visitors

A working group was established in the summer including hoteliers, restaurateurs, event organisers, council officers and BCP cabinet members to look at new ways of organising and funding the festival.

Tourism councillor Millie Earl said: "The working group has identified and assessed lots of opportunities, but as this is a complex situation, we will be taking one more month to ensure the right decision is made in the most robust and diligent way."

BCP, which has been led by the Three Towns Alliance since May, said this year's festival was "heavily subsidised" with £400,000 of council taxpayers' money.

The provisional dates for next year's event are 29 August to 1 September.