Coventry Festival of Motoring cancelled

The Coventry Festival of motoring has been cancelled after the city council withdrew funding worth £20,000.

The free event, which has been going for 30 years, attracted 40,000 visitors to Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, last year.

But the organisers stress that the lack of funding was not the only reason they cancelled the event.

The event is organised by Culture Coventry. Chief executive Gary Hall told BBC news he had to look at the ongoing viability of the show.

Hall said, ‘With cuts coming from the city council and other sponsors, we would not be able to grow it as we have in recent years.

‘It is a lot of money and, as a charity running four attractions in the city, we have to look at what benefits we are getting.’

Hall added that the charity was relaunching Coventry Transport Museum in June after a £9m refresh.

‘Unfortunately, we have to put all of our resources into promoting the museum,’ Hall he said.

Coventry MotoFest, which was launched last year, will still go ahead as planned over the weekend of 29-31 May.