DEMAND FROM HEBCELT FANS LEADS TO ACCOMMODATION APPEAL
News release
Hebridean Celtic Festival
Year of Homecoming 2014
- Earliest ever appeal to help house festival goers
- Demand high for places three months before HebCelt
- Pressure growing on accommodation in Stornoway
International demand to attend this year’s Hebridean Celtic Festival has led to the earliest ever appeal being made to help house visitors in the host town of Stornoway.
With three months still to go, accommodation in Stornoway is already under pressure for the week of HebCelt, which runs from 16-19 July and will be headlined by Levellers, Big Country and Donnie Munro.
Organisers of the award-winning festival say they are delighted with the level of interest, particularly from overseas music fans. Early birds tickets for the event went on sale in December and quickly sold out, while the sale of day and weekend passes is keeping pace with last year, which was the most successful in HebCelt’s 18-year history.
The 2013 HebCelt attracted an audience of 16,000 – double the population of Stornoway – with more than half coming from outside the Hebrides and helping to generate around £1 million for the local economy.
Passenger numbers on ferries taking fans back to the mainland from Lewis on Sunday and Monday were up 18 per cent on the previous year and the number of people calling at VisitScotland’s information centre in Stornoway during festival week showed an increase of over 50 per cent on 2012. Numbers using the Laxdale Holiday Park in Lewis also doubled.
So far this year, nearly 80 per cent of all sales are off-island, with tickets being bought by fans from as far afield as New Zealand, the Far East, Canada, US and all around Europe.
More than 40 per cent have been to the festival before and an additional 27 per cent have had the event recommended by family or friends.
Such is the interest this year that residents in Lewis have been asked much earlier than usual to make beds available to supplement accommodation in hotels and guest houses.
Alastair Lockett, VisitScotland’s visitor services team leader for the Outer Hebrides, said: “Most of the accommodation in Stornoway is already full for festival week. I would definitely say that bookings have been made about a month earlier than usual.
“This demonstrates the increasing popularity of HebCelt. People from around the world are keen to come to this renowned event and, increasingly early, they are making sure they have everything booked so they can enjoy their visit to the full.
“We are expecting further enquiries as the event gets nearer and we need help from local people to ensure everyone is found a bed.
"If anyone is able to offer good quality accommodation between 16-19 July, please contact the VisitScotland Information Centre, 26 Cromwell St, Stornoway Tel: 01851 703088.”
Festival director Caroline MacLennan added: “It is encouraging that we are attracting such high demand for accommodation at this early stage and we hope the trend continues as we get nearer to festival time.
“The interest we have from overseas visitors demonstrates the tremendous pull that the festival has and the fact people are enjoying the event and the island surroundings enough to come back is good news for us and local businesses.
“Our international visitors certainly add to the atmosphere and colour of the event, but we are also dependent on fans closer to home to make it a success. While tickets are still available, we would advise those who are planning to come to book as soon as possible.”
The 19th HebCelt will feature its biggest ever programme and will also include performances by Cara Dillon, Rachel Sermanni, Duncan Chisholm, Cajun band Magnolia Sisters, from the US, and Canadian outfit Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys.
The festival has its two main stages in the spectacular setting in front of Lews Castle in Stornoway, and this year is introducing an acoustic stage for the first time. There will also be performances in An Lanntair arts centre and in rural parts of Lewis and Harris.
NOTES TO EDITORS
This year HebCelt was selected as one of the top 10 UK summer festivals for the fourth year in succession by influential publication Songlines.
It was also hailed as one of the greenest festivals in the world after being the only Scottish event to receive an Outstanding award from environmental campaign group A Greener Festival. In addition, it was shortlisted in the Greener Festival category in the UK Festival Awards and in the Best Independent Festival category in the AIM Independent Music Awards.
In 2011 it was ranked Best Large Festival at the industry-sponsored Scottish Event Awards and it won Best Event of the Year award at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards in 2004 and 2009.
For more information contact
John Ross
Lucid PR
01463 724593; 07730 099617
johnross@lucidmessages.com
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