Town expects 15,000 people for BunkFest 2008

4:00pm Wednesday 27th August 2008

TRADERS are set to hear cash tills ringing to the tune of half-a-million pounds as Wallingford braces itself for an influx of at least 15,000 people for this weekend's BunkFest.

Wallingford's BunkFest not only brings music, dancing and colour into the town - it also brings in hard cash.

Organisers have estimated between 15,000-20,000 people will flood into the town over the weekend, bringing £500,000 into the local economy.

Traders said the festival showcased what was on offer in Wallingford and encouraged people to make return visits.

Now in its seventh year, BunkFest runs for three days, with more than 1,000 performers staging 200 performances in 20 venues throughout the town.

Concerts, dances, ceilidhs, storytelling, a beer festival, craft fair and workshops will have the town buzzing between Friday and Sunday.

Last year, a downsized festival raised the money to put on this year's event.

Jackie Howard, who works at the Dolphin pub in St Mary's Street, said: "There was a lot of consternation when people thought the BunkFest was on its last legs last year.

"It is the highlight of the town's calendar - lots of people having fun and enjoying themselves in a peaceful and civilised way.

Elaine Hornsby, chairman of Wallingford Business Partnership, said: "It has two big benefits for the town. It brings in immediate money for the food outlets and the stalls which the BunkFest people organise. The people coming in are here for the music and so on, but they are also walking about the town, seeing what Wallingford has to offer, and they make return visits, which brings in money to the other sort of businesses."

BunkFest artistic director Dave Newson said: "Everything is set fair for this weekend - one of our helpers is a professional meteorologist, and he said the weather will be fine.

"We have a fantastic line-up of artists, headed by veteran folk man Martin Carthy, and we have Osibisa, chart-topping Ghanaian pioneers of world music."