Major update on what rain-hit Proms concerts did for Lytham Hall finances - and what's coming next
“We’re a bunch of people with a resilient attitude second to none and this year's result will not deter us for the future”
A headlining act has already been signed up for next year’s Proms music event at Lytham Hall - despite a disappointing return from this year’s rain-hit event.
Management at the Grade I-listed Georgian mansion have reacted philosophically and are are determined to plan ahead after revealing the two-day Proms held over the August Bank Holiday weekend only just broken even.
The Proms concerts, from which all profits go towards the Hall’s upkeep, this year featured acts including Toyah, Chesney Hawkes and Aled Jones but ticket sales were hit by a poor weather forecast and the second day, headlined by Jones, ended early because of heavy rain.
The Hall’s general manager Peter Anthony said: “We invested quite a bit more than we have over the past two years but sadly it didn't seem to pay off.
“The very poor seven-day weather forecast certainly stopped any last-minute surge in ticket sales, which in turn affected us tremendously.
“It is certainly a very rare occasion - if ever - that Lytham Hall reports an event has only just broken even - but I suppose we should celebrate the immense results and success of everything we have done over the past decade.
“The staff and volunteers poured their hearts and souls into it and we’re a bunch of people with a resilient attitude second to none.
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“This year's result will of course not deter us for the future and our headline act for the Sunday Proms 2027 is already booked.”
Mr Anthony declined to reveal the identity of the headline act signed up.
The Lytham Proms at the Hall were first held as a single day event headlined by tenor Alfie Boe in 2022, following on from the six-night WonderHall event held there in 2021 as a replacement for the Lytham Festival, called off because of Covid.
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WonderHall, with headliners including Russell Watson, was staged by Lytham Festival organisers Cuffe and Taylor and raised more than £150,000 for Hall funds.
The Proms concerts featuring Boe, then Katherine Jenkins in 2023 were supported by Cuffe and Taylor and provided notable boosts to Hall coffers, as did the first organised by the Hall itself, headlined by G4 in 2024.
The Proms were extended to two days last year, with Tony Christie and The Overtones headlining and again proved one of the Hall’s key fund-raisers.