Weston-super-Mare carnival in jeopardy

The future of the annual Weston-super-Mare Carnival is in jeopardy because of spiralling costs and falling donations.

Last year the carnival raised £10,700 via on-street collections but it had to pay out around £11,000 in prize money to the winning clubs.

Now organisers have been told this year the committee will have to pay out for two kinds of licences for the first time ever.

These are made payable to PPL (Phonographic Performance Limited), which pays the authors who wrote the songs, and PRS (Performing Rights Society), which pays the musicians of the songs used.

Whenever a sound recording or music video is played in public or broadcast in the UK, a PRS licence is likely to be required in addition to a licence from PPL.

Not obtaining a PPL licence can have serious consequences and may ultimately result in a court order to stop an event playing sound recordings or music videos altogether until all outstanding fees are paid in full.

Carnival organiser Brian Coombs says the PPL cost has been estimated at around £1,200 and the PRS at £860 plus VAT.

In addition, the committee also has to pay £2,500 for insurance and, coupled with dwindling donations year on year, the carnival's future is in doubt.

Mr Combs said: "The cost is going up and up and this year we wondered whether we would have a carnival.

"This is because this year we are being asked to pay for two new licences, a PPL and PRS, which we have never had to pay before.

"It is going to affect all carnivals, not just ours.

"We have 40 entries from large carnival floats who all play music, which we will have to pay for now.

"Last year the PRS was obtained from individuals but this year they say they made a mistake and we have to pay it as a committee.

"We have been having meetings about the carnival all year and at the moment it will go ahead this winter.

"But the carnival's future is in doubt as we can't afford to lose money all the time.

"Last year we collected £10,700 but the prize money given out to the carnival clubs was around £11,000, so there was a shortfall.

"We need people to come together and help us.

"We need good collectors, more donations and big sponsors from local businesses."

This year's carnival on November 16, at 7.15pm, is also set to change with a new route.