A HUGELY-POPULAR event has been cancelled due to fees being charged by Rother District Council for use of its land.
The Bexhill Festival of the Sea, which was to include the mermaid pageants, a Chris Leslie concert and the craft marquee will sadly no longer take place, it has been confirmed.
All those who have made bookings will receive letters confirming the cancellation and any payments made will be returned.
Organiser Carole Green said in a lengthy statement posted on Facebook: “We regretfully announce that the Bexhill Festival of the Sea 2023 will not be taking place.
“Our aspiration has always been to organise a free entry even aimed at promoting marine and wildlife conservation.
“We have been delighted to support local businesses, charities and musicians in this endeavour. The festival relies on financial support from local business sponsorships, generous grants, advertising, raffles, quiz nights visitor donations and stall holder fees.
“However, the expenses for 2023 have significantly escalated. This won’t come as a surprise as many businesses are grappling with the same reality of rising costs.
“But for the first time we are confronted with a fee from Rother District Council for utilising the seafront lawns.
“Despite the festival being a free event, boosting footfall in Bexhill, this new fee has rendered the event financially unfeasible.
“As the organiser, I want to extend my thanks to our dedicated volunteer committee who have tirelessly worked to make the festival the success it is.
“Our entire committee, myself included, are volunteers, receiving no payment for our services. We have all been happy to pour our efforts into making the event a success and will certainly feel its absence.
“Over the course of the past nine years we have been heartened by the many encouraging messages expressing appreciation for the festival from visitors of all ages. We thank you.”
When it comes to Rother District Council implementing charges, a spokesman previously said: “We appreciate and support the good work organisers do to put on events across the district but due to the council’s £3million funding gap, we are no longer in a position to support discretionary services in the same way as we have in the past.
“Previously, some event organisers had Partnership Funding Agreements with the council to support with costs. These originally expired in March 2022 but were extended to March this year.
“Other regular event organisers were informed in 2019 that event charges would be uniformly applied from 2020, but because events were severely disrupted due to Covid-19, charges were not applied to large events in the summer of 2022 in order to treat all in a fair and equal manner.
“Such events do not take place at no cost to the council, with costs for grounds maintenance as well as a considerable amount of staff resource liaising with organisers and checking documentation to be considered.
“The council also has a statutory duty to ensure that any events taking place on council land have necessary safety provisions, and in addition they can result in loss of revenue from sports bookings or car parking dependant on the location.
“The council’s regeneration team has opportunities for event grant funding and more information, including how to apply, is available on our website. To encourage community events, the council also has separate tiers of charges for not for profit/charitable events and commercial events, and our current event charges can be found under the Leisure and Events section of the council website.”
