Music promoters in boost to economy

Fylde music promoters Cuffe and Taylor will boost the North West's economy by almost £8m in 2016 - including more than £3m from the Lytham Festival alone, it has been claimed.
Bryan Adams will play at Lytham FestivalBryan Adams will play at Lytham Festival
Bryan Adams will play at Lytham Festival

The music and event promoters will host 22 nights of live music across the region this year with a mix of headline concerts and festivals, including Lytham’s flagship event over eight days, including four nights of live music, in early August.

With 177,000 tickets for sale across all the events it is estimated that the boost to the tourism economy will be £7.9m - with the Lytham Festival accounting for £3.15m of that. The forecast is based on Visit England’s estimate that every person attending a concert injects an additional £45 into the local economy.

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Cuffe and Taylor director Peter Taylor said he hoped it would provide a welcome economic boost.

He said: “2016 is without a doubt our biggest year of events to date.

“We have an eclectic mix of events arranged across the North West and indeed the whole of the UK this year which will not only provide audiences with a fantastic night of world-class entertainment, but will also see a boost into each town’s economy. When the figures are broken down in this way it is a great way for each locality to see just what the value of that event is.”

Rocker Bryan Adams is among the stars playing Lytham Festival.

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Rockerr Byran We look forward to continuing and expanding these events into 2017 and beyond.”

Cuffe and Taylor have had a rapid rise to prominence after initially promoting a single-night Lytham Proms event in 2010 from their original St Annes base.

This summer, the Lytham Festival will last a week for the second year running and will include headline concerts from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Bryan Adams.

Other Cuffe and Taylor-promoted events in the region include Cheshire’s three-day Betley Concerts and three-day Tatton Park Concerts by the Lake, Lancashire’s three-day Symphony at the Tower, two days at Cartmel Racecourse as well as a number of one-off nights at Lytham’s Lowther Pavilion and Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.

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Along with Gallagher and Adams,headline acts will include Sir Tom Jones, Will Young, Joe Bonamassa, Simply Red, Jools Holland, Status Quo and Roxette.

Nationally, the duo are also presenting Rod Stewart’s UK stadium tour, a tour of Joan Collins brand new one-woman show, the Aled Jones Cathedral Tour, 12 dates at Scarborough Open Air Theatre, our six-day Greenwich Music Time festival and a night at the London Palladium with Ramin Karimloo.

Peter added: “In all this represents 83 nights of live entertainment across the UK so it is a very busy year and one we hope to build on for many years to come.”

Coun Cheryl Little, chairman of Fylde Council’s tourism and leisiure committee, said: “These predicted figures are marvellous and all credit to Cuffe and Taylor for their enterprise and, from our point of view, for keeping it local and providing such a boost for Fylde.

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“They are bringing the visitors in in numbers and it is up to us to build on that by thinking outside the box and making sure those people thoroughly enjoy their time here and want to keep coming back.”

“We have an eclectic mix of events arranged across the North West and indeed the whole of the UK this year which will not only provide audiences with a fantastic night of world-class entertainment, but will also see a boost into each town’s economy.

“When the figures are broken down in this way it is a great way for each locality to see just what the value of that event is.

“We look forward to continuing and expanding these events into 2017 and beyond.”

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Cuffe and Taylor have had a rapid rise to prominence after initially promoting a single-night Lytham Proms event in 2010 from their original St Annes base.

This summer, the Lytham Festival will last a week for the second year running and will include headline concerts from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Bryan Adams.

Other Cuffe and Taylor-promoted events in the region include Cheshire’s three-day Betley Concerts and three-day Tatton Park Concerts by the Lake, Lancashire’s three-day Symphony at the Tower, two days at Cartmel Racecourse as well as a number of one-off nights at Lytham’s Lowther Pavilion and Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.

Coun Cheryl Little, chairman of Fylde Council’s tourism and leisure committee, said: “These predicted figures are marvellous and all credit to Cuffe and Taylor for their enterprise.

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“They are bringing the visitors in in numbers and it is up to us to build on that by thinking outside the box and making sure those people thoroughly enjoy their time here and want to keep coming back.”