Festival says being better neighbour is critical

Being a better neighbour is "critical" to the success of the Boardmasters festival as it looks to the future, its boss has said.

Director Rob Spring's comments came after disruption and safety concerns over the five‑day event which returns to Newquay in August with artists including Fatboy Slim, Kasabian and Lily Allen.

The festival, which started in 1981 as a surfing competition, has become one of the UK's biggest with a capacity of 58,000, and people enjoying music along with with surfing and skate competitions.

But Spring, who acknowledged past failures, said its long‑term future would depend on rebuilding trust with local communities.

Spring told BBC Radio Cornwall: "In 2024, we brought the roads to a standstill. That is not acceptable."

He said the team had responded by starting again, explaining: "We tore up our traffic management plan... brought in locals... brought in the best specialists that we could find."

He added feedback from the following year suggested "the roads were as quiet as a out-of-season day".

A crowd surge in the same year left seven people needing hospital checks.

Police described it as a "crowd collapse" and said the injuries were not serious, but festivalgoers spoke of frightening scenes.

Organisers said those taken to hospital were treated for minor injuries and later discharged.

Spring said he felt "saddened for anyone that was injured" and explained that an independent report had been commissioned.

He said its recommendations were implemented and that organisers "got commended on our... safety of that event" the following year.

Spring added: "Boardmasters is safe."

The festival said in 2024 that there would be more watchtowers manned 24-hours a day, and a 50% increase in high-visibility security patrols.

Despite improvements, Spring said perception of the music festival which overlooks Watergate Bay, remained a challenge.

He explained: "The problem that we need to support the community to solve now is how do we actually get people to know that Newquay is open when Boardmasters is on."

Spring also pointed to wider benefits, including more than £700,000 distributed through the Boardmasters Foundation and efforts to showcase Cornwall.

He said the festival should be "a platform for Cornwall, for Cornish talent, for Cornish arts, culture, surfing".

"I look forward to the thing that got me into this career, which is seeing 44,000 people come together to feel that sense of freedom, be in the moment, connect with each other and connect with the artists."

Spring said listening to locals would shape what comes next, adding organisers wanted to "keep on speaking to the local community to see how we can be better neighbours".

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