Will Hay-on-Wye survive without the Hay Festival?
The town of Hay-on-Wye will not see it’s usual throng of visitors this year
The Hay Festival has been cancelled because of Covid-19 - throwing the town of Hay-on-Wye into a time of complete uncertainty.
It’s no secret that Covid-19 is having unprecedented effects on businesses all around the world. Hay-on-Wye is no exception to this - the town relies hugely on tourism in summer to help it survive the winter months.
Caroline Antink, who lives in the town, said: “This could be disastrous for the local economy and the people of Hay.”
In particular, it relies on the massive influx of tourists the Hay Festival guarantees every year. The annual non-profit literature and art festival provides a huge source of income for local business in this famous town of books.
The festival attracts more than 100,000 visitors over its 11 day period, and generates around £26 million for the area, which is one of the lowest paid regions in the UK.
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The cancellation is causing panic throughout the town as nearly all business owners rely on festival crowds to see them through the year.
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The future of the event in years to come is also uncertain - organisers are calling on the public to donate money to prevent it from folding completely. This is because 70 % of the festival’s income comes from ticket and book sales onsite - now organisers are struggling to repay the infrastructure costs they have already committed to.
Peter Florence, director of the literature festival, said despite the massive financial implications, what had to be done was no puzzle: “The decision was easy,” he said. “Hay has its share of elderly people and the medical realities are clear.”
Peter Florence, director of the Hay festival, talking about his decision to cancel the event.
Although the community understands the cancellation in a necessary one, it has left many workers and business owners worried about the future.
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Caroline works in a shop in Hay on Wye. She is afraid that employers may take advantage of the situation. She said: “They may give work on zero hour contracts only, due to the high demand. This leads to further insecurity and low pay.”
Caroline also said the cancellation of the Hay festival is sure to lead to unemployment “in a hidden community already struggling to survive on low wages and the poverty line.”
Richard Booth’s Bookshop has been empty for months
However, others believe the town will bounce back. Oliver Balch, who writes for the Guardian and owns a bookshop in Hay on Wye, acknowledged Hay faces trouble ahead - but said: “Hay is a resilient town and if anywhere can find a way through these tough times, it’s the famous town of books.
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“We need plucky, independent, quirky places like Hay- the world would be a duller, more uniform place without them.”
Oliver pointed out that people haven't stopped reading in lockdown- if anything, they are reading even more.
“It’s still tough to reach these readers in times of lockdown, but the town’s booksellers are a creative crowd and are turning to social media and online sales with their usual spark and wit,” he said.
Many of the Hay Festival events will go ahead online this year for free as a digital festival from the 22-31st May.
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Like so many other towns, villages and cities - Hay, a town famous for its disregard towards the internet and technology, has been forced to adapt and go online.