"We can't imagine a summer without Vintage by the Sea" - reaction to popular event's cancellation

The fall out from the news that Morecambe's popular Vintage by the Sea festival will not go ahead in 2025 has continued.

The festival team announced on Friday that the event will not take place this year after "careful consideration of multiple factors, including funding challenges and continued rising costs".

Vintage by the Sea has consistently been Morecambe's best attended event for more than a decade since its inception in 2013.

The festival pulls tens of thousands of people to the central Promenade each September for a celebration of vintage culture and gives a huge boost to the local economy with festival-goers travelling from far and wide.

Here's how Beyond Radio broke the news that Vintage by the Sea won't be happening in 2025, live on our Beyond the Headlines weekly news show with myself and Dave Salmon just minutes after the news was announced

REACTION 

A spokesperson for Morecambe Town Council said on Monday: "We have always been proud to support Vintage By The Sea.

"We recognise the significant value this brilliant event brings to Morecambe, both in terms of stimulating the local economy and providing great entertainment.

"Since its inception Vintage By The Sea has helped create a vibrant and positive image of our town and introduced a huge number of new visitors to what a wonderful place Morecambe can be.

"In recognition of this, just last year we awarded the festival a grant of £16,000 – the largest amount Morecambe Town Council had awarded Vintage By The Sea in recent years. Since 2014, Morecambe Town Council has awarded £143,900 in grants to Vintage By The Sea, making it one of the most well-supported events in our history.

"A funding application was not made to us for the 2025 event. However, subject to receipt of an acceptable application, we absolutely anticipated considering continuing our support for Vintage By The Sea this year.

"As we said when awarding the grant last year, we can’t imagine a summer without Vintage By The Sea, and we sincerely hope that this will be no more than a year off. If the team behind the event decides to bring it back next year, we will be ready and willing to consider supporting them.

"Morecambe Town Council’s commitment to supporting Morecambe’s wider festivals scene is unwavering. Last year we awarded £60,000 in grants to local festival and event producers; earlier this year we made a three-year, £75,000 funding commitment to Baylight; this week we hope to agree a budget that further increases the amount available to local festival and event producers through our Festivals and Events Grant Fund; and next month we are expecting to make grant awards to support a large number of Morecambe’s festivals and events due to take place over the coming year.

"So we hope there will be more positive news regarding events in Morecambe in the coming weeks."

Councillor Caroline Jackson, leader of Lancaster City Council, said on Monday that it was "unfortunate that Vintage won't be happening this year".

"We have been in discussions with (the) Vintage (team)," said Councillor Jackson.

"We have UKSPF (UK Shared Prosperity government) funding which we have only just received, last week. We've had to wait until very recently and that funding will be being distributed.

"We've contacted all of those who've previously had funding from us and asked them to put in a brief Expression of Interest. It's a lower amount of money we've got.

"We're very much hoping that (the Vintage team) will be able to undertake some cultural work in Morecambe. Not to the extent of the vintage festival but we are hoping they will do that and put in an Expression of Interest to the fund.

"It does concern me that in future, small organisations like Deco Publique will not be in a position to speak to us directly when we're part of a much larger authority (if local government reorganisation plans go ahead).

"We are hoping there might be some other festivals that can be supported through UKSPF in order to support footfall in Morecambe at a time of year when Morecambe is very much a draw, we like to see it thriving.

"Unfortunately that UKSPF allocation has come out pretty late."

Amanda and Vicky from Dotty's Vintage, who ran the popular Vintage Marketplace at the festival, said: "Thinking of our friends at Deco Publique today as they have to break the news about Vintage by the Sea.

"We've enjoyed every one of the 11 years working on the festival and everyone involved should be incredibly proud of what it's given to Morecambe.

"We've made some friends for life and it's with very heavy hearts we write this message.

"If we'd have known that 2024 may have been the last one, we would have celebrated it in style to thank you all!

"So the biggest of thank yous to every trader who has joined us in the Vintage Marketplace, had a brew with us, helped us find each other when one of us is having a natter, and stuck with us from winging it at the Midland to having a pretty slick operation! We're hoping that this won't be the last event and we'll be coming together again, so it's not a bye but watch this space."

Vintage by the Sea was co-curated by Morecambe-born designer and TV personality Wayne Hemingway (pictured below, right) and his family company HemingwayDesign, and Morecambe events company Deco Publique, run by Elena Jackson and Lauren Zawadzki.

Deco Publique posted on Friday:

"We sadly announce that Vintage by the Sea Festival will not take place in 2025.

"This decision follows careful consideration of multiple factors, including funding challenges and continued rising costs.

"Vintage by the Sea has been an incredible success story for Morecambe, and we are immensely proud of the role it has played in positively promoting the town, bringing tens of thousands of people together and creating significant income for dozens of businesses.

"We hope that this is not the end of the festival forever and that the right levels of resources and funding can be secured in the future within a deliverable timeframe.

"To everyone who has both supported and enjoyed Vintage by the Sea — whether by attending, trading, performing, volunteering, as a local business playing host to our thousands of visitors, and to the professionals who have worked together to deliver over a decade of memories and unforgettable weekends for Morecambe - we want to say a huge thank you, and we’ll return if and when the time is right."

Read more: BREAKING NEWS: Vintage by the Sea festival not happening in 2025 - Beyond Radio

https://www.beyondradio.co.uk/news/local-news/interview-high-quality-morecambe-vintage-festival-set-to-pull-huge-crowds-again-in-11th-year/

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