Borders Book Festival – Economic Impact Study

Bright Light Marketing have just completed an Economic Impact Study of the Borders Book Festival. The results show that the event makes a significant impact on the Scottish Borders.

2010 was the seventh annual Borders Book Festival, held in Melrose over four days in June and registered record ticket sales of 10,288 – up 22 per cent on 2009 – and brought in more than &7million to the region’s economy.

That success is revealed in the Economic Impact Study which was commissioned by the organisers of the event which this year boasted many celebrity writers from the worlds of entertainment and politics, including Victoria Wood, John Prescott, Kate Adie, Rory Bremner, Kathy Lette and Vince Cable.

The research shows that the Festival, which takes place in the grounds of Harmony House in Melrose attracted 5,635 ticket-buying visitors, two thirds of whom were female. Three quarters of those who attended were aged 55 or over, while 69 per cent were resident in the Borders.

The results were welcomed by Councillor Graham Garvie, the executive member for culture on Scottish Borders Council which sponsors the Festival to the tune of &,000.

“These figures are amazing and show clearly the crucial importance of the creative and cultural sector to the Borders economy, especially following the decline of our traditional textile industries,” said Mr Garvie.

“What is particularly striking is the enormous return on the Council’s annual investment of &,000 in the Festival. For every &of that grant assistance, &8 new spend is generated into the Borders economy. By any measure, that is extremely impressive.”
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