​Executive Summary

Following proposals from the Todmorden Community Bandstand Group (TCBG), the redevelopment of this much-loved heritage asset in Centre Vale Park forms part of Todmorden Investment Plan. A report on the potential economic impact of bringing the bandstand back into use as a performance venue was commissioned by the Todmorden Town Deal Board as part of preparation of a full business case, which is a mandatory requirement for project funding from the Towns Fund to be released.

The research compiled by experts from the events and tourism industry, complied a sample programme of the number, type and size of events that might be expected to be held at the bandstand, and estimated likely attendance figures. These were then fed into an economic impact modelling process operated by independent research company Global Tourism Solutions to produce an estimate of income from ticket sales and what the wider benefits would be for local businesses and employment. The forecast top-line figures for the first, second and third years of operation were £612k, £740k and £820k respectively, giving a total potential economic benefit over three years of nearly £2.2m.

The event and attendance forecasts are based on a scenario with the following assumptions:

• There are no further significant surges of Coronavirus and no further national lockdowns
• Audiences will overcome ‘Netflix-sofa syndrome’ and return to live entertainment in similar or numbers to before lockdown
• There will be an enhanced appetite for outdoor performance as a safer alternative to indoor venues which will continue to grow the pre-COVID upward trends in outdoor arts attendance.

The illustrations have been built to show both potential and likely audience numbers over the first three years of operation, based on desk and field research. This has included consultation with a number of local music and gig promoters and desk research into outdoor arts and music performance, including:

• Audience Agency Outdoor Arts reports 2015 and 2018
• Arts Council England Taking Part survey 2013/2014
• Statistical Concert and Festival Attendance in the UK 2012-2019
• Internet research into current and recent outdoor music events and venues

Events attendance modelling

The modelling is based on 15 events per year, including two where the whole park is closed for ticketed events. It has 4 categories of event: Popular classical; brass/concert bands; contemporary music; and ‘other’ which is an opportunity to try out alternative forms, e.g. spoken word, comedy, specific cultural programming.

Across these forms, it has included a mix of ticketed/ unticketed/ free/ seated/ standing events. Estimates of ‘engageable’ capacity are based on the likely number of people who could engage for a full length concert given the layout and type of performance. For example, a chamber concert or comedy night will have a smaller, seated engageable capacity whilst an all-day festival with a powerful PA will have a much larger engageable capacity. Within this overall potential capacity, we have forecast a likely take-up, growing this from a first year average of 61% to 74.3% over 3 years – some event types having greater growth potential than others.

We have also forecast the likely percentage of audiences from outside Calderdale. Again, anticipating year on year growth of this market from 26.3% to 31.3% over three years, as certain types of event build a reputation further afield.

In summary, these headline figures read as:

Economic impact modelling

Global Tourism Solutions combined the information on events and projected attendance with the most recent local supply-side, tourism performance and visitor survey data available for Calderdale. They then employed economic impact modelling to generate estimates of direct impacts by type of event attendee (resident, tourism day visitor and tourism staying visitors) as well as the aggregate indirect economic effects, such as on supply chain, and also direct and indirect employment effects to arrive at the estimates of overall economic impact summarised below.

Research Consultant Team:

Tessa Gordziedjko, Arts Producer and Writer
Sarah Ross, Marketing and Branding Consultant
David Calway, MD, Global Tourism Solutions

Further data from the consultation report can be found in the links below.

Todmorden Bandstand Events Attendance Modelling Report – June 2021

Todmorden Bandstand Events Profile Report – June 2021

Todmorden Bandstand Events Numbers & Attendance Report – June 2021

Todmorden Bandstand Research Team Consultant Details