Council bans air show over climate fears

Anger at £59m tourism loss

- By Matthew Dooley

A POPULAR air show that attracted around 600,000 people has been axed after a council raised concerns about its impact on the climate.

Bournemouth Air Festival, featuring displays from the Red Arrows and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, ran over four days for 16 years with visitors giving local businesses a boost of around £59million.

But the Lib Dem-run local authority declared a “climate emergency” and has pledged to go carbon neutral by 2040.

Town hall officials said the festival could not go ahead because of carbon emissions from the planes and the extra traffic travelling to the venue.

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