As reported in the Times last month, Local & Live, which sees 20,000 people descend on the town during the August bank holiday weekend, was threatened with not going ahead this year or having to be scaled right back as organisers were struggling to raise the necessary funds.
The festival, which is now a registered charity and run by a board of trustees, had a deficit in its finances of around £20,000.
But organisers of the free, four-day music festival, which takes place in Calverley Grounds across the August Bank Holiday Weekend (this year from August 26-28) have said they have now secured ‘substantial funding’.
The financial support came from local firm, Maxipay Accounting Services who have signed up as headline sponsor, guaranteeing a more secure future for this popular music festival, which celebrates the best of local, original music providing a vital platform for local artists.
It costs around £50,000 a year to put on Local & Live, and while none of the bands charge for performing, the festival carries a lot of fixed costs including the hiring of equipment, security, insurance, building the main stage as well as the necessary facilities such as toilets.
Organiser and Times music editor, Paul Dunton, said:
“At no point did we decide that Local & Live was not happening, but it could not go ahead until sufficient funding was in place to cover the costs.
“So, I am delighted to announce that we have raised enough money already to confirm that the 2022 Local & Live event will go ahead. “Fundraising is, of course, still continuing but a crucial milestone has been passed thanks to Maxipay.”
Headed up by Managing Director Simon Bailey, Maxipay has been based in Tunbridge Wells for the past 21 years and employs local staff whilst trading nationally.
Simon said of this new partnership: “When we heard that Local & Live 2022 was under threat, we quickly made the decision to support this very special local event.
“We are extremely excited to be working with the Local and Live team and we are very much looking forward to the weekend itself.
“I hope that as many people as possible will be able to attend.”
