Ludlow festival ticket sales top last year
Ticket sales for Ludlow Shakespeare and Arts Festival have brought in £70,000 more than at the same stage last year, it was revealed today.
Organisers of this year's event say about 8,000 tickets have been sold so far and there are still seven weeks to go until the arts festival begins.
Festival director Chris Davis said seats had already sold out for Ken Dodd, one of the star acts this year, and sales for other attractions were progressing well.
Last year's inaugural new-look Ludlow Arts Festival made a small loss even though it received rave reviews, but now hopes are high 2014 will prove a success.
News of the festival's bumper business came as organisers revealed that Herefordshire-based Wye Valley Brewery had signed up to sponsor the event.
The size of the sponsorship deal has not been revealed but Wye Valley has launched a limited edition pump clip to celebrate its involvement with the festival.
Dorothy Goodbody's Festival Gold will replace Dorothy Goodbody's Golden Ale pump clip in participating pubs and will give drinkers the chance to win tickets to the festival.
Mr Davis said: "Ken Dodd has already sold out and sales for the other shows are coming on well.
"We have gone through the 8,000 ticket sale barrier now and are well up on this time last year.
"We are more than £70,000 up on this time in 2013 but there are still 10,000 tickets available.
"We did make a small loss last year and although we have a long way to go until this year's festival we are hoping we can turn it into a success."
The grounds of Ludlow Castle will host the entertainments which will kick off with the Shakespeare festival which has been added to the list of attractions this year.
A total of 11 performances of the Bard's play As You Like It, starring Shropshire actor and former Fools and Horses star John Challis, will be staged from June 14 and 22.
The arts festival will kick off on June 28 with Fascinating Aida's Charm Offensive and events run until July 6 when former '70s pop star and actor David Essex will bring the curtain down.
Dodd will appear on July 4 and there will be other major acts such as Showaddywaddy, Les McKeown's legendary Bay City Rollers, Marty Wilde and the Wildcats, Jim Davidson, Milton Jones, an evening with Ray Mears, Sooty and jazz and blues musicians such as Ruby Turner, Jacqui Dankworth and Courtney Pine.
Mr Davis said: "This long running festival is set to be bigger and better than ever in 2014 with a fantastic line up of music, comedy, drama and children's shows."
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