Revamped Ludlow Arts Festival fails to make profit
The revamped Ludlow Arts Festival failed to make a profit but came within a whisker of its budget, it was revealed today.
Chris Davis, director of the nine-day festival which drew thousands to Ludlow at the end of June, said organisers were "quite happy" with the outcome.
He also renewed a promise that the event would return to the town next year, but kept the details close to his chest.
A spectacular fireworks display on June 30 brought the curtain down on the arts festival at Ludlow Castle.
The pyrotechnics followed a finale concert at the castle featuring The Hollies and The Searchers.
The new-look arts festival rose like a phoenix from the ashes to replace the former Ludlow Festival, which was axed last year due to financial problems.
The festival folded after more than 50 years, with organisers blaming "appalling wet weather" for big losses.
The box office, in Castle Square, which was used to sell tickets for the old Ludlow Festival, was sold earlier this year by Nick Deighton for more than £80,000 to clear its debts.
However, the new Ludlow Arts Festival, organised by new management, attracted acts such as Jools Holland, Paul Merton, Reginald D Hunter, Gyles Brandreth and the English National Philharmonic Orchestra.
Mr Davis, who spent Friday in another planning meeting for the 2014 arts festival, said: "We sold just over 11,000 of the 20,000 tickets available."
He added: "We came out of it OK. We came within about £2,000 of our budget, which is pretty good.
"We didn't make a profit because we had a lot to pay out in start-up costs.
"Everything is looking good for next year when the festival will return but I can't reveal any of the things we have in store just yet."
