Sidmouth International Jazz & Blues Festival has backed calls for the government to lower VAT on music festival ticket sales.

Festival organisers have voiced their support for Five Percent For Festivals, a campaign founded by the Association of Independent Festivals on behalf of its 101 members.

The campaign calls for the government to lower VAT on festival ticket sales from 20 per cent to five per cent to help them recover from the impacts of the Covid pandemic and mitigate an increase in production and touring costs.

The association says festivals are “in a pinch” after two missed years in 2020 and 2021 and “haven't had a few steady seasons back to be able to rebuild”.

It also says festival costs rose by more than 30 per cent on average when they returned in 2022. But most festival-goers bought their tickets for 2022's festivals in 2019, when budgets and costs were lower.

The association adds: “Some temporary support from the UK Government - lowering VAT down from 20 per cent to 5 five per cent on ticket sales for the next three years - would give them the space they need to recover.”

Sharing the campaign's message, a Jazz & Blues Festival spokesperson said: “Festivals are in trouble. We’re asking the UK Government to lower VAT on music festival ticket sales and we need your help to reach our goal.

“Without doubt, many more festivals will be forced to make 2024 their last stop if there isn’t intervention now from the UK Govt.

“Some temporary support - lowering VAT down from 20 per cent to 5 per cent on ticket sales for the next three years - is all that’s needed to give the space to recover and rebuild post-pandemic, Brexit, energy crisis and increasing supply chain costs.

“All of these factors have been relentlessly ambushing the industry and festivals are struggling to make it out alive!”

For more information, visit www.fivepercentforfestivals.com.

Sidmouth Jazz & Blues Festival took place at the end of May, featuring headline acts Tony Hadley, MF Robots, Roberto Fonseca and Ruby Turner.

Live music will return to Sidmouth in August with the town's famous folk festival.

There will also be pre-festival special shows to look forward to from Fisherman’s Friends, George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and Steeleye Span.