The key factors leading to the cancellation of Bestival 

Bestival is a UK fancy dress music festival and has a sister festival called Camp Bestival for a younger audience. Both Bestival and Camp Bestival are run by the same organisers. In 2018, the festival came under scrutiny for failing to pay its artists and many workers. It subsequently went to administration and was cancelled for summer 2019.   

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So What Happened To This Once Hugely Popular Event? 

Moving the Site 

Many people blame Besitval’s move from the Isle of White to Dorset. The festival had been held on the Isle of White from 2004 up to 2017, however, organisers decided to relocate the festival to the Lulworth Estate in Dorset. The new location was much easier to access than the Isle of White, with people complaining about 9 hour waits for ferries when the festival was held in its former location. However, when festival goers arrived at the new location for the 2017 festival, parts of the site remained unfinished and the site was said to be messy and unorganised. 

The Date

Bestival was often one of the last festivals of the summer, held in the middle of September. Whilst this meant fewer clashes with other popular festivals, it also meant unpredictable weather conditions. In 2017, Dorset experienced some severe weather conditions. Strong winds ripped people’s tents from the ground and on the Sunday, festival organisers were forced to close the arena and cancel acts due to dangerous wind speeds. Hundreds of Bestival goers left early as a result.  Whilst in 2018, the date of Bestival was moved, the festival failed to sell enough tickets to cover costs, with many put off from returning due to the terrible conditions of the former year.

The Death of Loeulla Fletcher-Michie

Loeulla Fletcher-Michie, daughter of Holby City star, tragically died at Bestival in 2017 after taking hallucinogenic 2-CP. Whilst Bestival was of course not responsible for her death, the incident generated a mass of bad publicity around the festival and put many off purchasing tickets for the following year. 

Who Does Bestival Owe Money To?

After going into many organisations and artists were left unpaid for the contribution to the festival. 

• The Dorset Police - The police department in Dorset announced that Bestival would not be running in 2019 along with the fact that they remain unpaid for their services at the festival. The total unpaid cost is approximately for police work across Camp Bestival 

• London Grammar - £175,000

• Plan B - £105,0000

• Mura Masa - £70,000

• First Aid Kit - £38,500

• Rudimental - £25,000

• Mabel - £12,000

• It is reported that Bestival also owes £3.7million to unsecured creditors. 

Whilst Camp Bestival ran in 2019, is it too soon to say whether Bestival will secure new investment or if it is the end for this festival.