Council bosses accused of 'killing' Blackburn festivals (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Council bosses accused of 'killing' Blackburn festivals
10:30am Thursday 9th July 2009 in
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- By Tom Moseley » Reporter
COUNCIL bosses have been accused of “killing” Blackburn’s festivals after slashing the annual budget by 40per cent.
Just £90,000 has been set aside for this month’s Celebrate Blackburn event, sparking a furious backlash from fans of the axed Arts in the Park and Mela events.
They say Blackburn with Darwen Council is “phasing out” the festivals to balance the books after scrapping Arts in the Park and the Mela.
The two popular summer dates were last year replaced by the month-long, town centre “Celebrate Blackburn” event.
At the time, leisure and culture chiefs insisted the decision was not a cost-saving move, because they were spending the same amount – £150,000 – on both events.
Bosses insisted last year’s first-ever Celebrate Blackburn was a success, despite none of the events reaching full capacity.
Attractions included performances by rock band Echo and the Bunnymen and the Northern Chamber Orchestra.
Steve Rigby, the town hall’s leisure and culture boss, insisted this year’s line-up, spread over three weeks, including the return of running and cycling races to the town centre, was a “quality programme”.
But Coun Kate Hollern, leader of the opposition Labour group, said: “The festivals are dead.
"This is a sad day for the people of Blackburn. They promised it was not a cost-saving measure, and now we are left with virtually nothing.
“Ask anyone who went to Arts in the Park, it was a wonderful event for all the family.”
Council bosses said the move into the town centre was to avoid a repeat of the 2007 washout which saw both events cancelled.
Mr Rigby said: “Following the success of last year’s inaugural festival, and listening to feedback from people who attended, we have again drawn up a quality programme of activities, to suit all tastes.”
Comments(24)
DarwenRed
says...
11:45am Thu 9 Jul 09
Woody Riversider
says...
12:09pm Thu 9 Jul 09
What happened last year with 'The Bunnymen' ?
McCulloch didn't turn up!!
'Arts In The Park' was a roaring success & organised by people who had the nouse to make the event diverse & popular to all. Just look at the site of Witton Park for the Orchestra on the final evening.
Not enough desire or will by those that hold the power to do whats right for the many thousands of people who attend these such events.
Arte et labore is the motto of this town, sadly only the football club adhere to this.
Put people in charge of these events to provide quality acts for all or face this rubbish before us.
PHILISTINE..........
Private I
says...
1:19pm Thu 9 Jul 09
straw-07
says...
4:04pm Thu 9 Jul 09
Lifeinthemix
says...
4:29pm Thu 9 Jul 09
Well they have killed everything else!
Bl;ackburn was a great place to be of a Saturday night.
The end of the cav heralded the end of Blackburn as a fun place to be.
Common Purpose at work with the full support of freemasonry.
Time to say :
"We want our country back...we want back our fun"
madari
says...
4:35pm Thu 9 Jul 09
What do you expect from a majority third world population who repeatedly vote for their own third world semi illetrate councillors who themselves are hell bent on turning a once proud town of Blackburn into a third world ghetto town where the religion takes priority over entertainment every time.....if you dont believe me then just go and witness for your selves by attending a council meeting...you will be gobsmacked,i promise you.
happycyclist
says...
4:35pm Thu 9 Jul 09
Excluded
says...
4:37pm Thu 9 Jul 09
Arts in the Park was brilliant. My mum loved it, my kids loved it, something for everyone. Agreat event replaced by a dog's breakfast.
Nad
says...
6:42pm Thu 9 Jul 09
NICEONESUNSHINE
says...
7:32pm Thu 9 Jul 09
madari wrote:Whats it got to do with you? Get back to your frothings on the BNPley site
Madari the snake charmer says: What do you expect from a majority third world population who repeatedly vote for their own third world semi illetrate councillors who themselves are hell bent on turning a once proud town of Blackburn into a third world ghetto town where the religion takes priority over entertainment every time.....if you dont believe me then just go and witness for your selves by attending a council meeting...you will be gobsmacked,i promise you.
madari
says...
9:30pm Thu 9 Jul 09
NICEONESUNSHINE wrote:It has a lot to do with me my dear friend ,because i am the snake charmer.
madari wrote: Madari the snake charmer says: What do you expect from a majority third world population who repeatedly vote for their own third world semi illetrate councillors who themselves are hell bent on turning a once proud town of Blackburn into a third world ghetto town where the religion takes priority over entertainment every time.....if you dont believe me then just go and witness for your selves by attending a council meeting...you will be gobsmacked,i promise you.Whats it got to do with you? Get back to your frothings on the BNPley site
Adios !!!
Akki
says...
10:36pm Thu 9 Jul 09
madari
says...
10:44pm Thu 9 Jul 09
Akki wrote:Madari the snake charmer says : Akki my friend, is that why there are more mosques than churches in a once proud town of Blacburn?and pubs are also closing by the day in the town.[dont tell me it has anything to do wth the rececession please.
madari get a grip blackburn is 4/5's white thats why they stopped the Mela
Akki
says...
11:20pm Thu 9 Jul 09
and they are now cheaper too.
madari
says...
11:29pm Thu 9 Jul 09
Akki wrote:Madari the snake charmer says:
pubs arnt closing, they have simply changed their name to Tesco's and they are now cheaper too.
Funny how we in Burnley have a bigger tesco and the pubs here are still thriving.....i Knew you`d blame it on the recession.
abdullah
says...
6:39am Fri 10 Jul 09
Arts in the park,the mela were such fun events,it was something the council got right.What made them turn it into the fiasco that has events throughout the month no one knows.Blackburn grand prix my a....What a cruel joke to play on the long suffering residents of Blackburn.Oh yeah madari the monkey tamer you can stick my tescos bigger than yours up youre a... too.Only thing thriving in Burnley is the Bnp,and,the only investment in burnley is when nick griffin moves into burnley.Anyway good luck to Burnley in premiership,yeah right.
SJD, Blackburn
says...
9:11am Fri 10 Jul 09
Blackburn's population and council tax contributions should make this event a must EVERY year it's such a shame that the council employees are too busy hording the money for their fat pensions or hiding it away in Icelandic banks!!
madari
says...
9:23am Fri 10 Jul 09
abdullah wrote:Madari the snake charmer says:
Madari the monkey tamer,try to stick to the topic of discussion. Arts in the park,the mela were such fun events,it was something the council got right.What made them turn it into the fiasco that has events throughout the month no one knows.Blackburn grand prix my a....What a cruel joke to play on the long suffering residents of Blackburn.Oh yeah madari the monkey tamer you can stick my tescos bigger than yours up youre a... too.Only thing thriving in Burnley is the Bnp,and,the only investment in burnley is when nick griffin moves into burnley.Anyway good luck to Burnley in premiership,yeah right.
How could you state that i am not sticking to the point of discussion when all i am doing is stating facts,facts that seem to have offended you so much so that you have resorted to foul and abusive language.
You are also wrong when you say that the only thing thriving in Bley is the Bnp....the thing thats thriving at the moment in Bley is a team called the Mighty Clarets a fact that also seems to have offended you.
you are partly right about the Bnp thriving as that time will soon come when the town is full of people like your self Brown n Proud and I for one wont have a problem with that my friend..
Salaams...
dan323007
says...
1:07pm Fri 10 Jul 09
Bring back Arts in Corporation Park!!!
RK
says...
10:28am Sat 11 Jul 09
RAyzer
says...
8:43pm Sun 12 Jul 09
Ally 01
says...
9:35pm Sun 12 Jul 09
ment?? all i saw was a stage with some annoying people making some kids bang on drums and stuff and a few side stalls with nothing of any interest and about 15 people sat watching !! arts in the park and the mela at least brought all cultures together and a good time was had by all. I have been going to arts in the park and the mela for a few years now (before it was cancelled) and i have gone there with my family and friends ... never seen any trouble just people enjoying themselves side by side. The pathetic 'event' being staged yesterday was just a shambles .... I think that it should be put to the vote of what the people of Blackburn want .... as every town around Blackburn have a music festival ... so why cant we have the arts in the park and mela back again .... COME ON BLACKBURN COUNCIL GET YOUR FINGER OUT AND GIVE US BACK WHAT WE ALL REALLY WANT !!!!!!!! Bring back the mela and arts in the park NOW !!!! just to add that i could never see any of the groups/singers playing in blackburn town centre as we saw at the arts in the park/mela ....and the orchestra with the fireworks ... where has that gone now ??? cant do that in KGH can ya ..... come on bring it back !!!!!
De La Rosa
says...
12:12pm Wed 15 Jul 09
the celebrate blackburn event never came to fruition... it was to spread out, there was nothing actually all that good happening and it wasn't advertised particularly well...
bring back arts in the park for the whites and the mela for the ethnic community
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Champion Sound says...
10:56am Thu 9 Jul 09
Perhaps it was being able to line the councils pockets with hiring their own venue off them.
What exactlly have we to look forward to?
Blackburn Races 5K on Sunday July 12 and the Blackburn Town Centre Grand Prix cycle road race on the 22nd.
Having just looked at whats on, its all very safe with no interesting events that people ACTUALLY want to go too.
I would be interested to see the figures on PARTICIPATION from last year. I know that the council collects those figures.
A freedom of information request perhaps.......