What has happened to Bournemouth Air Festival?

As hopes of a 2026 edition of Bournemouth Air Festival fade, what factors have led to its demise, and will it ever return?

The private air show operator that was expected to run the event on a 10-year contract has pulled out of talks.

The major sticking point was its plan to close the promenade and seafront between the piers, which the council said it legally could not do.

The US-based firm has also blamed the "instability of the financial and political climate" for its decision to withdraw.

The free air festival was first held in 2008 and has taken place every August, with the exception of 2020 when Covid restrictions were in place.

At its peak, it attracted about 1.3 million visitors to the seaside conurbation, and estimates of how much it annually contributed to the local economy vary from £14m to £59m.

But the cost to the council has sky-rocketed in recent years, with hikes across insurance, security, infrastructure and counter-terrorism measures.

Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council (B) said its net budget for the four-day festival had risen from £300,000 in 2019 to £400,000 by 2022.

New legislation brought in after the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing is also set to significantly increase costs for all organisers of public events.

The authority, which has been run by a coalition since 2023, has already slashed millions from its budget as it grapples with a huge deficit for its special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services.

Half a million people attended the final council-funded air show in 2024, which was scaled back from four days to three, with the final net cost to the council reaching £248,000.

In the months that followed, officers explored two options - one was for a sponsor to foot the £400,000 bill of a council-run event, the other was for an external operator to run the air show at no cost to the authority.

With no firm offers of sponsorship, but five potential operators raising their hand, things began to look up.

But those early discussions led to just two firm expressions of interest and, with one of those requiring financial backing from the council, the initial flurry of enquiries quickly dwindled to a shortlist of one.

B's destination and leisure councillor Richard Herrett said the prospective organisers had flown from the US to attend the 2024 event, but had drawn up a "wide range of requests that would have created significant financial pressures on the council".

A report to B councillors said the plan to close off the beach and promenade between Boscombe and Bournemouth piers was to enable "a variety of hospitality offers ranging in price".

But the authority said the firm's "non-negotiable" request presented legal difficulties, as fencing off the area would contravene the Open Spaces Act 1906.

After the report was published, but before councillors met to discuss it, the company announced it was pulling out.

In a letter read to councillors, the operator, whose name was redacted, said: "Several factors led us to this decision, with the most significant being that, without the ability to fence off and restrict access to a significant part of the beach and the surrounding areas, it would be challenging to create a financially sustainable event model.

"The instability of the financial and political climate were also factors that would challenge us to deliver the event in a similar manner to our other events."

Council leader Millie Earl said: "We are still open to any interest from potential operators or sponsors.

"In the meantime, we remain invested in the cultural future of our beautiful area and are continuing to work with our partners and others where we can."

The council says its Bay Run, Arts By the Sea Festival and Christmas in Bournemouth events will still go ahead.

But, with 12-months needed to organise the air show, any potential air show sponsor or operator would now be working towards 2027 at the earliest.

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