Bournemouth Air Festival in doubt as sponsor search ends

The future of Bournemouth Air Festival is in doubt after the council voted not to actively pursue looking for new sponsors or operators.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council announced last year it would no longer fund the annual four-day event and it would not be held in August 2025.

A council report said talks with a private operator had ended without agreement.

The authority said it would concentrate on alternative events but remained "open to any interest" from potential operators or sponsors.

The air show ran as a free event from 2008 to 2024 and was estimated to have attracted up to one million people to the resort each year at its peak.

Held in August, attractions included the Red Arrows as well as other military and civilian aircraft displays over the seafront.

Rising costs meant the council ended its financial backing, with its contribution to the final event in 2024 reaching £248,000.

A meeting of the council's Overview and Scrutiny Board heard the authority had pursued alternative means of funding and staging the event.

A council report said sponsorship of £400,000 would be needed for the festival to go ahead but there had been no formal offers received.

The authority - run by the Three Towns Alliance coalition - had been in negotiations with a potential operator over delivering a privately-run air show for the coming 10 years.

However, it said the company had demands over commercialisation and hospitality, including closing part of the seafront, which could not be met.

The committee voted to end further work by council staff on the air festival.

Council leader Millie Earl said: "Over the past year, we have worked hard to engage a future operator and seek sponsorship for future air festivals but unfortunately this has so far been unsuccessful.

"We are still open to any interest from potential operators or sponsors. In the meantime, we remain invested in the cultural future of our beautiful area."

She pointed to other events such as Bay Run, the Arts By the Sea Festival and Christmas in Bournemouth as creating a "vibrant economy for residents and visitors".

The air festival was estimated to have generated up to £30m for the local economy each year.

Phil Broadhead, leader of the Conservative opposition group, accused the council of "giving up on it for good".

"It will be a huge blow to our tourism and hospitality industry, not to mention the millions of visitors who enjoy this event every year," he added.

Rosie Radwell, chair of the BH Area Hospitality Association, said businesses had "benefited hugely" from the event.

"It's been a huge brand for the whole of Bournemouth and done great publicity - it's brought business off the back of it all year round.

"That's a huge loss to the area. It really put Bournemouth on the map," she added.

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