Red Arrows back at Weymouth Carnival - but funds needed to pay for event

10:01am Tuesday 19th March 2013 in News

RETURN: The Red Arrows could be back at Weymouth Carnival RETURN: The Red Arrows could be back at Weymouth Carnival

THE Red Arrows look set to return to Weymouth Carnival.

The world-famous RAF aerobatic team has published its display programme for 2013 and Weymouth Carnival on Wednesday, August 21 is listed.

The ‘Reds’ were unable to perform at the carnival last year because the date clashed with an overseas show.

Their return will be welcomed by the thousands of people who enjoy the carnival.

But carnival organisers will first have to ensure they have the £10,000 needed to pay for the display.

A new-look independent carnival committee has taken over running the event and has warned it could be a struggle to raise funds needed to pay for the extravaganza.

The committee has set itself a target of raising a certain amount of sponsorship to get things off the ground, but warned it would pull the plug if the support wasn’t there from local businesses.

If you are interested in any of the sponsorship packages, or just want to make a donation contact sponsorship coordinator Diane Moore by e-mail at weymouthcarnivalsponsorship@gmail.com

People interested in supporting this year's carnival can also contact Ryan Hope on 07795 246080 or email ryanhope1991@googlemail.com

Comments(29)

Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
10:37am Tue 19 Mar 13

Dear Weymouth Town Centre Business Owners/Taxi Firms/Hotel & Guest House Proprietors,

Please put your hand in your pocket and donate £50 to the fund raising team.

Regards.

Report this post »

Sidney Hall says...
12:18pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Any business trading along the Esplanade or on the beach should be able to chuck in £100 each at least. Let those who benefit the most take care of this little cost. Then pray for sunshine.

Report this post »

Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
2:18pm Tue 19 Mar 13

You do have to wonder why some of them are in business.

Report this post »

dorchbloke says...
5:29pm Tue 19 Mar 13

You would have thought this was something the council would have spent money on as this brings people in every year to the area...

Report this post »

I'mavoter says...
5:38pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Four posters on here so far, all asking for Other people to put their hands in their pockets, ..... Mmm that speaks volumes !

Report this post »

Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
5:39pm Tue 19 Mar 13

I would not want the council involved as they would then want some level of input, which requires lots of meetings, form filling and talking.

The people that want the Weymouth BID to take off should be knocking on doors asking local businesses to contribute.

It really is not a lot of money to raise in a town such as Weymouth.

Report this post »

weymouthfox says...
6:05pm Tue 19 Mar 13

I don't understand why the chamber of trade don't get more involved with the carnival. They have a lot of money and their members benefit most from the crowds on carnival day.

Report this post »

jmc1 says...
7:37pm Tue 19 Mar 13

I'mavoter wrote:
Four posters on here so far, all asking for Other people to put their hands in their pockets, ..... Mmm that speaks volumes !
Quite agree

Report this post »

Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
8:39pm Tue 19 Mar 13

jmc1 wrote:
I'mavoter wrote:
Four posters on here so far, all asking for Other people to put their hands in their pockets, ..... Mmm that speaks volumes !
Quite agree
I don't understand your comment.

The people that benefit the most from approx 100,000 people visiting the town are the businesses in the town centre.

I run a business (not in Weymouth) and if someone offered me the opportunity to have 100,000 people visit my town, I would bite their hand off and give them £500.

Report this post »

shaun blondz says...
9:01pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Is it me or is everything rubbish? wrote:
I would not want the council involved as they would then want some level of input, which requires lots of meetings, form filling and talking.

The people that want the Weymouth BID to take off should be knocking on doors asking local businesses to contribute.

It really is not a lot of money to raise in a town such as Weymouth.
It is level of council involvement and associated form filling that has killed the event.
As for the B.I.D. getting involved I think they have events that will line their own pockets in sight .... and have shown not an iota of interest in the charity based event that defines the town despite requests
That is enough to me...
As a past carnival chairman for many a years I can say the businesses that benefit the most are the ones that put in the least....

Report this post »

Get a grip says...
9:01pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Is it me or is everything rubbish? wrote:
jmc1 wrote:
I'mavoter wrote:
Four posters on here so far, all asking for Other people to put their hands in their pockets, ..... Mmm that speaks volumes !
Quite agree
I don't understand your comment.

The people that benefit the most from approx 100,000 people visiting the town are the businesses in the town centre.

I run a business (not in Weymouth) and if someone offered me the opportunity to have 100,000 people visit my town, I would bite their hand off and give them £500.
Were do you get the figure of 100,000 from?

Yes a big draw but if on a reasonable day we get 20,000 visitors.

Report this post »

dorchbloke says...
11:13pm Tue 19 Mar 13

I'mavoter wrote:
Four posters on here so far, all asking for Other people to put their hands in their pockets, ..... Mmm that speaks volumes !
I wasnt asking them to pay I would have thought if the council justified the spending on the pavilion because it brought in tourists then it could spend some of your money on this I.e. some sort of deal with the insurance for all events happening in weymouth...

Report this post »

Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
7:46am Wed 20 Mar 13

Get a grip wrote:
Is it me or is everything rubbish? wrote:
jmc1 wrote:
I'mavoter wrote:
Four posters on here so far, all asking for Other people to put their hands in their pockets, ..... Mmm that speaks volumes !
Quite agree
I don't understand your comment.

The people that benefit the most from approx 100,000 people visiting the town are the businesses in the town centre.

I run a business (not in Weymouth) and if someone offered me the opportunity to have 100,000 people visit my town, I would bite their hand off and give them £500.
Were do you get the figure of 100,000 from?

Yes a big draw but if on a reasonable day we get 20,000 visitors.
Have you ever seen 20,000 people? That is a little more than the number than attend the QPR home games.

There are approximately 60,000 that live in the immediate area- if only 20% attended, that would be 12,000 before any visitors to the town are added (which are the significant majority).

This article relates to 2010 and quotes 100,000 people in town

http://www.visit-wey
mouth.tv/2010/09/05/
weymouth-carnival-pr
ocession-2010/

This article mentions 100,000 visitors

http://www.stagecoac
h.co.uk/weymouth/new
s/23746-weymouth-car
nival.html

This article mentions 100,000 visitors

http://www.bestweste
rn.co.uk/destination
s/event-detail.aspx?
EventId=148806

This article mentions 100,000 visitors

http://www.parkedge.
co.uk/archives/553/t
eam-gb-sailors-at-we
ymouth-carnival-3

So, 100,000 is probably more accurate than 20,000.

Report this post »

Get a grip says...
9:14am Wed 20 Mar 13

So when we had the Olympics the prediction was for 60,000 visitors

To deal with this number there were extra car parks, buses provided and toilets

Ok they did not turn up but my point is that if as you suggest 100,000 people turn out to see the carnival then the town would be gridlocked

Report this post »

shaun blondz says...
4:03pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Dorset police figure in their budget show attendance of 100,000 on Weymouth carnival day for 2011 and 88,000 for 2010 ....

Report this post »

Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
5:55pm Wed 20 Mar 13

100,000 people do not suddenly turn up in cars, buses and trains at the same time.

Also, it was widely commented that the preparations for the Olympics seemed excessive as more people visited the town for the Carnival and that always seemed to be fairly well organised.

Report this post »

bedpans says...
11:02am Thu 21 Mar 13

Carnivals are now old hat and we must move with the times. Great credit to those who over the years have made the carnival such a succes but we must move on. Our learned Council have tried to give Weymouth an upmarket European culture so a carnival as we have known it in the past does not fit in with the plans.
There has to be some form of extravaganza to boost tourist numbers but please lets move with the times and think of somethin new and in libe with our perceived image.

Report this post »

shaun blondz says...
12:19pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Bedpans I agree it is time for a complete overhaul of events
Private money making events like the food festival are probably the way forward
But it cant be overlooked that
100,000 people attended the carnival so it is hardly dead on its feet.....

Report this post »

Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
1:23pm Thu 21 Mar 13

The Carnival is still a major attraction, and Weymouth would sorely miss it.

Report this post »

bedpans says...
5:13pm Thu 21 Mar 13

The barber is correct that the carnival still attracts people.However I feel it needs a professional body to re launch it in some new way and move with the times. Our friend Simon Williams who made such a farce-sorry - good hob of the Olympics should organise it with Ray Banham and Greg Northcote. Re brand it as the Weymouth Circus.
FRED

Report this post »

shaun blondz says...
8:52pm Thu 21 Mar 13

cecilbethyname wrote:
Now just think how much these idiots in our council and other bodies have wasted on public art that nobody cares about and attracts bugger all.
Two years ago in the run up to the WPBC run cultural olympiad I tried countless times to talk to the Borough Arts officer and even the DCC carnival officer (who refused to speak to me as our carnival was not arty enough)
The Arts officer ignored my calls and emails even joking that I was "on the scrounge again"
The olympic team at WPBC treated the carnival with complete distain and that attitude combined with most of businesses that benefit not helping left the carnival without the backing of a major organisation... and in the hole it now finds itself .

Report this post »

Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
9:39am Fri 22 Mar 13

I have visions of thousands of people lining the seafront waiting for the Red Arrows to arrive and then for the floats to pass- but they all just stand there, looking at each other, waiting for something to happen.

Then it slowly dawns on everyone that no one was able to organise anything as the local business community did not put their hands in their pockets.

Then everyone slowly wanders off to check lastminute.com for availabilty of a proper holiday somewhere.

Cue letters to the Echo from the local businesses, complaining that the Council does not support the town.

Report this post »

marabout says...
4:23pm Fri 22 Mar 13

What happens to the £10k if the RAFAT don't pitch up? Do we get our money back?

Report this post »

Dorsetdumpling says...
10:11pm Sat 23 Mar 13

So for the cost of our wonderful seafront lasers, we could have booked the Arrows for 50 years??

Report this post »

shaun blondz says...
9:45am Sun 24 Mar 13

marabout wrote:
What happens to the £10k if the RAFAT don't pitch up? Do we get our money back?
Why would they not turn up if booked ?
We are talking about the R.A.F. here not the Americans or similar who would turn up after our boys have done the job......

Report this post »

marabout says...
1:21pm Sun 24 Mar 13

shaun blondz wrote:
marabout wrote:
What happens to the £10k if the RAFAT don't pitch up? Do we get our money back?
Why would they not turn up if booked ?
We are talking about the R.A.F. here not the Americans or similar who would turn up after our boys have done the job......
For much of last season the Hawk was grounded as a result of the tragic accident concerning the ejector seats.

If a similar event happens and the aircraft are once again grounded - Do we get our money back?

Report this post »

shaun blondz says...
4:41pm Sun 24 Mar 13

For information the money for the Red Arrows is paid after the event and only if the display is completed in full
But Ryan and his team obviously want to be in a situation that they can ensure they have the money to pay before confirming
A very sensible thing to do in my view.

Report this post »

bedpans says...
5:41pm Sun 24 Mar 13

I agree with the barber

Report this post »

VaguelyPurple says...
9:59am Mon 25 Mar 13

bedpans wrote:
Carnivals are now old hat and we must move with the times. Great credit to those who over the years have made the carnival such a succes but we must move on. Our learned Council have tried to give Weymouth an upmarket European culture so a carnival as we have known it in the past does not fit in with the plans.
There has to be some form of extravaganza to boost tourist numbers but please lets move with the times and think of somethin new and in libe with our perceived image.
Sorry, i've only just read this story, but I presume this is ironic? Sorry if I'm being really obtuse.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree