DAYS after one of the longest-running folk festivals in the North of England announced it was calling it a day, the organisers behind Chippenham’s Folk Festival have warned they too could face the same fate if more funding isn’t found.

Bob Berry, who is preparing for his 29th festival this year, believes the town’s festival could be under threat in the future due to a lack of sponsorship.

This year, the festival, which takes place all over Chippenham from May 25-28, only has two sponsors, Chippenham Borough Lands and Chippenham Town Council, but the organisers believe this isn’t enough to sustain its future.

“Over the last few years we have really struggled with connecting with businesses to the town, despite bringing people to the town and filling up their shops,” he said.

“We bring about £1m into the local economy each year, but despite that we constantly lack sponsors.

“This year, Beverley Folk Festival has been cancelled, and although nothing has changed with us yet, our situation is getting quite serious.

“Many festivals get to this point and say sod this, we’ll go to a greenfield site, but we don’t want to do that. We are a town festival and we want it to stay that way.”

Organisers estimate that the festival costs them £158,000 to put on each year, which includes a number of free events like the parade for the public to enjoy.

However the threat to their budget from the lack of sponsorship means that the festival could take a new shape in the future.

“We might have to change the way we put on shows in the future if we don’t source more sponsors - and no one wants that.

“We need to do more to sustain our current programme, especially if we want to keep attracting big names to play at the festival.”

Anyone who wants to sponsor the festival this year or next should contact Mr Berry via info@chippfolkfest.co.uk or 07714 550990.