The influx of visitors resulted in an estimated £25 million of economic activity, benefiting local businesses, hotels, restaurants, and transportation services.
An independent study has shown that huge amounts of economic benefit resulted from three events - Reggae Land, a Chase & Status concert and Bludfest - that took place at the National Bowl last August. They attracted more than 116,000 people, mostly from outside Milton Keynes, and generated about £25 million of economic activity.
Reggae Land 2024 took place on 3rd and 4th August 2024 at the National Bowl. It was organised by JBM Music. It featured more than 100 local, national and international artists. Chase & Status (co-promoted by Louder) and Bludfest (promoted by AEG events) took place the following weekend.
A specially commissioned report by the Destination Consulting team of Colliers, an international property services company, examined the economic impact resulting from the concerts. They have done similar studies for many festivals including Glastonbury and Reading. Their research included large-scale surveys of people who attended Reggae Land and Chase & Status.
The report highlights the extent to which the events boosted the local economy. Expansion is planned in 2025 and beyond to build on this success. Even greater economic impact is predicted for future years.
Colliers estimate that the three events created around £25 million of economic activity. More than 116,000 people attended them. 90% of those attending came from outside Milton Keynes. The events attracted a wide range of ages. The average age of people going to Reggae Land was 38. The average age of people going to Chase & Status was 33.
The research showed that Reggae Land has achieved a committed following in its four years of existence. Most of the audience had attended it previously.
Over 1,500 people worked at the events for an average of six days each. This is equivalent to around 43 full-time jobs.
The team behind the events spent £7.7 million on delivering them. 71 companies provided a wide range of services from security, venue management and licensing to plant and equipment hire, refuse management and much more.
Some of the most significant suppliers were based in Milton Keynes. They provided about 2,500 hours of work to local people, which equates to around nine full time jobs.
58 on-site vendors had stalls, mainly selling food. They reported takings of around £3.4 million. Event goers are estimated to have spent over £9 million outside the festival site itself, with £5.4 million spent with businesses in Milton Keynes.
All three events generated huge amounts of business in the city. Reggae Land was especially beneficial because most visitors bought a weekend ticket, and 60% of them stayed at least one night in paid accommodation.
Visitors to the events are estimated to have used around 26,000 nights in hotels and other accommodation, generating about £2.6 million for local accommodation providers.
Event goers also spent over £1 million in cafés, bars and restaurants in Milton Keynes and £350,000 in shops, and on parking and taxis.
The report estimates that additional expenditure in Milton Keynes businesses, outside the festival site, is enough to help sustain the equivalent of around 48 full time jobs.
A survey of local hotels showed that they were strongly of the view that the festival was a major benefit to them and businesses in the area.
JBM Music, the organiser of the events stated, "The events at Milton Keynes Bowl this year have exceeded our expectations and been a great impact on the local economy. Not only did we welcome over 116,000 visitors to the city, but we've created lasting economic opportunities for the local businesses and workforce. Our partnership with local suppliers has generated significant revenue for the community, while providing hundreds of employment opportunities. The ripple effect has benefited hotels, restaurants, bars, and retail establishments throughout Milton Keynes. This success demonstrates the Bowl's potential as a premier entertainment venue, and we're proud to say these events have firmly placed Milton Keynes back on the UK's map as a major destination for world-class entertainment. The positive impact will continue to benefit the community for years to come as we build on this momentum."
After such success in 2024, 2025 will see the events return and once again bring with them significant economic and employment benefits for Milton Keynes. The JBM team plans to expand capacity by 20% while preserving the intimate festival atmosphere. They plan to partner with more local suppliers and businesses as festival vendors, increase local trader participation and expand local staffing by 25% while enhancing venue-wide accessibility features and putting in place all new and sustainable economic initiatives.
Headliners at these three events were truly delivered and inclusive with all genders, sexualities, races and backgrounds represented.
