'Our community will rise again'

SHOCK AND ANGER AS ORGANISATION BEHIND MANCHESTER PRIDE GOES INTO VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION

- By ADAM MAIDMENT

MANCHESTER'S LGBTQ+ community, charities and performers have responded to the news that the organisation behind Manchester Pride has gone into voluntary liquidation.

On Wednesday afternoon, the event's board of trustees said the organisation was 'no longer financially viable' following a series of challenges, including declining ticket sales and rising costs.

The announcement came a week after many artists at this year’s event, during the August Bank Holiday weekend, claimed they were yet to be paid for their appearances.

They said they were met with a lack of communication and clarity when trying to chase up on their queries.

The trustees yesterday apologised for a lack of clarity, saying they ‘regret the delays in communicating the current situation’ and added they were ‘sincerely sorry for those who will now lose out financially from the current situation.’ The appointed liquidators have now been passed on contact details of the many performers and suppliers who are still awaiting payment.

Manchester council leader, Bev Craig, said the town hall had tried to do ‘everything we could’ to support the organisation and to ‘help keep the show on the road,’ but added that it became clear that Manchester Pride Events Limited, the company behind the event, ‘had become unsustainable.’

The council has promised it will work on ensuring the event continues next year.