BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend held at Stockwood Park in May generated around £7million for local businesses and helped instil a sense of local pride in Luton, according to an independent economic impact report.
The huge three-day music festival saw global superstars including Rudimental, Raye, Sabrina Carpenter and Coldplay and come to town, with latter ending their final night headline slot with a specially written song about the town.
The festival also showcased Luton music talent with sets from the likes of JW Paris, Ryussi and Myles Smith, who has since exploded into global stardom with his smash hit summer song ‘Stargazing’ which has since seen him sell out a north American tour and get named as a support for Ed Sheeran’s European tour next year.
An evaluation report of the event identified a number of social and economic benefits, which ranged from uplifting the town’s image and community pride, to creating a number of opportunities and skills for local people.
87 per cent. of attendees across the weekend left with a positive impression of Luton, including more than half of attendees who said their perception of Luton improved having attended the event.
The music festival generated an exponential return on investment with several millions generated for the town from a £500,000 investment which included a government grant of £350,000 and Luton Rising sponsorship of £150,000. There was no direct expenditure from Luton Council budgets.
Income was generated from the thousands who visited the town and stayed overnight in accommodation, as well as those attendees living locally and nearby who spent money in the town over the weekend.
In addition to the financial benefits that the event brought, the report demonstrates that residents felt proud of their town and many visitors remarked on how their perceptions of Luton improved significantly after experiencing Luton over the weekend.
It was also a fantastic experience for the 284 Luton Rising Festival Maker volunteers, who welcomed the skills gained and felt pride and connected to their community after seeing such a positive reaction from event goers.
The legacy left after the event can also be seen by the impact of the outreach programme led by the BBC which gave students valuable career development opportunities. And a special live BBC Radio 1 Life Hacks show aired which drew second-highest audience figures since the show began.
Looking ahead, there are plans to continue this engagement, with Luton’s young community with a BBC Careers Day in Luton planned early next year.
Councillor James Taylor, portfolio holder for Inclusive Growth at Luton Council said: “BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend was phenomenal and it’s still hard to believe over 3 million viewers had their eyes on Stockwood Park. Not only did it create great excitement for those attending, but it also generated a significant amount for the local economy.
“We are really thrilled to see all the positive feedback left by those who may have come with preconceived ideas but left with a new, improved image of the town that we all know and love.
“The feedback from volunteers was also very positive, as many were happy for the opportunity to showcase Luton in a positive light.
“Feedback has shown a real interest from businesses and the community to host large music events in the future to create more opportunities for our local people and businesses.
“Importantly, the event’s success shows Luton can manage fantastic major events of this kind safely and successfully, so we are excited to talk to commercial partners to build on the legacy of the weekend.”
Some highlights of the report include:
• Four in ten people came from the areas surrounding Luton, and a quarter came from elsewhere in England.
• An estimated £1.5 million from overnight stays in Luton’s accommodation sector.
• Just over 25,000 local residents also attended the event spending an estimated £1.6M in Luton (outside the event).
Just some of the positive comments from:
Residents
“Thank you for the opportunity to showcase the potential Luton has. Security staff, volunteers and police were all positive and welcoming. I have never been so proud to be a Lutonian as I was this weekend.”
“This is the year of Luton. I have always known how magic this town is, now a load more people do too! Thank you for playing a part in showing off my creative, vibrant, friendly hometown to the world. I honestly feel emotional thinking about Luton. My town is going places – just you wait and see!”
“I’m a strong advocate for the positive sides of living in Luton, and the Big Weekend felt like an extremely significant cultural moment for the town. Myself and my friends and family will talk about it for years to come. I felt privileged to attend and proud to live in Luton. It felt like Luton was seen for its positive strengths instead of negative stereotypes.”
Visitors
“Prior to coming to Luton, I had only heard negative views and was quite worried about the safety in Luton but with the volunteers, security and police, I can confirm we felt very safe.”
“A really positive impact and a great boost for the people who live there- we met so many local volunteers who were really proud to be involved. Their enthusiasm made the weekend even more special for us!”
Volunteers
“One of the highlights of volunteering was guiding festival-goers who had lost their way or needed directions to the venue. Their smiles and laughter when I pointed them in the right direction using ‘the big blue finger,’ made the experience truly memorable.
“I was in my element because I wanted to show everyone how beautiful my town is. I adopted this town as my home over 16 years ago. I chose to raise my family here. I would love the world to see Luton through my eyes. I now feel like an Ambassador for Luton. I hope there shall be more fabulous events in Luton. I also hope to support future events if I have the time. I am very proud and honoured to have been part of the Radio 1 Big Weekend in Luton. I glad that Luton town is becoming more progressive and inclusive. Involving and uniting all cultures in celebrating the diversity of this thriving town.”
The full economic report can be found here.
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