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Red Arrows could still perform in Folkestone next summer says council as it fights to save airshow

The Red Arrows could still perform at a stand-alone event in Folkestone next summer, despite the organisers of the town’s airshow going into administration.

Shepway District Council says it is ‘premature’ to suggest there will be no airshow in 2015 and it will offer its support to the event again in future, should another organiser be found.

Despite attracting nearly 200,000 visitors to the event this summer, Open Air Promotions have been placed into receivership.

Shepway leader Cllr David Monk said: “It is a great shame when any business fails. Clearly it has an impact on many organisations and people.

“However it is once again premature to say that there will be no airshow in 2015.

“The people of Folkestone want an airshow and we are working behind the scene to facilitate this.

“There are still several options to explore before June including running the Red Arrows display as a stand-alone event.”

Open Air Promotions ran sponsorship campaigns with businesses to secure displays from certain aircraft over the two-day festival in June.

“It is a great shame when any business fails. Clearly it has an impact on many organisations and people" - Cllr David Monk

And despite the huge success in terms of the numbers which attended, organisers immediately said they had failed to raise the cash to cover their costs from the weekend.

A petition was then launched on the website change.org.uk to campaign to show that people want the airshow to return.

It is not the first time the show has been grounded by money troubles. The planned 2013 show was abandoned mid-flight but a display for the Red Arrows was salvaged after organisers were forced to cancel the planned spectacle.

Shepway District Council and Folkestone Town Council provided staff time and financial support to provide the Red Arrows display as the main attraction in previous shows.


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