Live events industry responds to Reading & Leeds Festival announcement

'Glimmer of hope, but more Government support needed'

One of the leading trade bodies that represents all the live events supply chain has welcomed today's announcement that Reading and Leeds Festival might go ahead this summer but warned that the industry still needs more support.

The live events industry was the first the get shut down and will be one of the last to start up again, a lot of events take months to plan.

Peter Heath, the MD of PLASA (Professional Lighting and Sound Association) said: “Today’s announcement that the Reading and Leeds Festival will go ahead this summer gives our industry a slight glimmer of hope. The live event supply chain has been all but unable to work for almost a year – we have been one of the hardest hit sectors during the pandemic.

"The government needs to recognise the hardship we have faced and provide further support to ensure this sector survives until we can all safely come back to work – those measures include grants not loans for businesses in the supply chain, extending financial support for those who are self-employed, and additionally, there is still no confirmation of any kind of Government-backed COVID-19 cancellation insurance – despite the whole industry calling for this.

“People want a return to live events more than ever, and as a sector, we want to be in a position to meet that demand as soon as it is safe to do so, but we need the Government to do their part and engage with the Live events sector to deliver a safe and viable re-opening.”

Info and line-up for Reading Festival, Richfield Avenue, August 27-29 https://www.readingfestival.com