£75,000 funding for Plymouth Summer Festival

THE Plymouth Summer Festival will go ahead for a third year after a pledge of £75,000 funding.

The City Development Company (CDC) has agreed to continue its support for the festival for at least one more year.

The £75,000 from the CDC will be matched by private sector contributions to develop hard-hitting marketing of summer activities and events.

David Draffan, the City Centre Company manager and a director of the Summer Festival, said: “I’m delighted. Last year the private sector stepped up to the plate and matched the public sector funding. It was a genuine partnership.

“The Summer Festival brings all the partners together to give Plymouth a really coherent message that it never used to have.

“In the past it was not uncommon to have five or six different brochures in the city in one summer.”

Bill Martin, editor of The Herald and festival chairman, said: “It’s fantastic news that the CDC has thrown its weight behind the festival.

“For the past two years it has brought a sense of focus and razzmatazz to the amazing range of summer events the city has. It is great that the festival is to continue to develop.

“We can build extra funding around that core funding. We will now go to our private sector partners to provide extra funding.”

Paul Carroll, chief executive of the CDC, said: “A lot of the events would happen on their own, but the joined-upness of the Summer Festival gives you something much larger. You can build on it and use it to bring other events to Plymouth.”

He said the festival would make it much easier to market Plymouth abroad.

“From my perspective it shows that the private sector is stepping up to the plate – not only with money, but with their time.”

Mr Draffan said the Summer Festival could make a big difference to the city’s prosperity during the economic downturn by attracting holidaymakers.

“Hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers visit Devon and Cornwall, and Plymouth is off their radar. Encouraging them to spend a couple of days here could have a huge impact on the city’s economy.

“We could also persuade people who live a few hours drive away to come here for a city break.

“The quality of our events last year was superb. Packaging them together provides a real opportunity to encourage day visitors.

“There is a lot of buzz around the city from tour operators. We are starting to get a reputation nationally.

“Plymouth is a superb all-weather attraction for shopping, restaurants, pubs and hotels.”

The Summer Festival was created when the CDC was first set up. Mr Draffan said it had pulled together the efforts of all the city’s attractions and activities.

“The City Centre Company has already pledged £15,000 because we see it as an opportunity to drive footfall in the shops.”

Source: This is Plymouth

Tags: Bill Martin, CDC, City Development Company, David Draffan, Paul Carroll, Plymouth Summer Festival, £75000 funding

Category: Festival News